Hi folks!
Stephen Black wrote:
> On Fri, 23 Jul 1999, Linda M. Woolf wrote:
> >
> > Napping is not a norm and should be avoided.
Nothing like taking something out of context. Napping is to be avoided for
daytime sleepiness resulting from sleep difficulties associated with old
age. You'll remember that this was the context of the statement concerning
naps - older adults "shunt some sleep time into napping" to make up for less
sleep at night.
If a older adult is frequently needing naps as a function of daytime
sleepiness, this is a sign of a sleep difficulty and not normative. There
are numerous causes ranging from poor sleep habits to drug side effects to
arthritis problems. Thus, if you see an older adult frequently falling
asleep in their chair or on the couch, this is a sign of a potential
problem.
> "The sleep cycle includes dreamless periods of light and deep sleep,
> with occasional periods of active dreaming (REM sleep)."
>
> They got that wrong, too.
I'll let someone more knowledgeable address the above. Most basic texts
discuss the four stages of non-REM sleep (which would include light and deep
sleep) plus Rem. I know we had a discussion previously whether dreams do
occur outside of REM. Was there a definitive answer regarding this? I
know the TIPS sleep expert lurker is on vacation in Seattle. Otherwise, I'd
ask him. We could probably also discuss whether REM is a stage of deep
sleep.
My guess is that as the authors were addressing a lay audience, they were
presented the stages of sleep in its most basic form.
Must be the summer heat.
linda
--
linda m. woolf, ph.d.
associate professor - psychology
webster university
main webpage: http://www.webster.edu/~woolflm/
Holocaust and genocide studies pages:
http://www.webster.edu/~woolflm/holocaust.html
womens' pages: http://www.webster.edu/~woolflm/women.html
gerontology pages: http://www.webster.edu/~woolflm/gero.html
mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
