Unconscious Memory during Sleep: Is Everything Remembered When You Wake Up?

[candydude357]

OK so people told me that you are partly conscious/on a low level of consciousness when you sleep. They also told me that you perceive everything around you when you sleep, but don't think about it. Now, when you sleep your memory doesn't work on as high of a level as when you're awake. If it worked perfectly and you remembered everything you felt would you actually remember everything around you, ie the noises, how the bed feels, etc when you woke up? Or at least would it be different memories than what you would remember if you were for example under anaesthesia?

 

[bobze]

OK so people told me that you are partly conscious/on a low level of consciousness when you sleep. They also told me that you perceive everything around you when you sleep, but don't think about it. Now, when you sleep your memory doesn't work on as high of a level as when you're awake. If it worked perfectly and you remembered everything you felt would you actually remember everything around you, ie the noises, how the bed feels, etc when you woke up? Or at least would it be different memories than what you would remember if you were for example under anaesthesia?

Your memory works somewhat when you are sleeping, why do you think you remember those fun dreams? Actually there's a lot of evidence (and speculation) that memory is one of the reasons for sleep--To cement in those memories from day, so to say.

Even though you "think" you remember your days, you actually forget most of the events that happen in the day. Even the ones you are aware of. As uncomfortable as it is, our brains actually do a lot of things without our consent--Forgetting is one of them. Interestingly it doesn't "remembering" for us as well. Can't recall a memory exactly? No worries, you brain will simply make up and confabulate what you can't recall

 

[candydude357]

But would it be possible to sleep if your memory worked perfectly or would it interfere?

 

[Ryan_m_b]

But would it be possible to sleep if your memory worked perfectly or would it interfere?

This question doesn't make much sense. You are basically asking "If the brain operated completely differently how would this affect the brain?"

 

[candydude357]

Also what exactly causes sleepwalking?

 

[bobze]

But would it be possible to sleep if your memory worked perfectly or would it interfere?

No, the idea of sleep is an alteration of how the brain is working. Your thalamic nuclei pay a large part in maintaining "wakefullness" and awareness. They accomplish this (the neurons in those nuclei) by firing in a tonic mode, which codes more specific sensorimotor information to higher cortical regions of the brain.

During sleep (slow wave sleep) the ascending reticular activating system that depolarizes thalamic neurons and is normally in a tonic firing state is suppressed which shifts thalamic nuclei to burst mode firing. In burst mode they are doing a kind of "sentinel vigilance"--Where lower processing centers of your brain can asses the information and dismiss it. Most of this information then, will have low salience (what gets your attention) and will not be stored in declarative memory systems. If your brain decides that information being received from burst mode neurons is more salient and requires your attention--The mode switches to tonic firing and thalamic nuclei involved in arousal wake you up. That information that was salient will be in your working memory (a special kind of short term memory) and possibly later consolidated into long term memory.

Say for instance you fell asleep on a train track and were awoken by the train horn. That sensory input (the horn) aroused you from sleep and is now in your working memory that allows you to make decisions and carry out planned motor function: Get off the train track. Likewise, you'd probably store that in long term memory such that in the future when you're looking for a place to sleep you don't lay down on a train track again.

Also what exactly causes sleepwalking?

Sleepwalking occurs in non-rem sleep. You actually wake up out of slow wave sleep (non-REM sleep), but those thalamic nuclei aren't fully aroused. You're in a "low state" of consciousness. Even in a "low state", your activity is still driven by processing centers in your brain without your direct awareness so you carry out functions without "knowing" it. Like cooking, cleaning, or even having sex with people!

Because many of your ascending systems still operate in burst mode, you're not getting conscious sensorimotor (tonic) coding. So much of the events that happen while sleepwalking go unremembered.

Or in laymen's terms--You don't fully wake up and your brain is just working on autopilot.

 

[candydude357]

Is it true that during sleep you're still partly conscious?
Also I read that there are dreams in all 5 stages of sleep (the 4 non rem ones and rem)

 

[candydude357]

Also if sleepwalking has rapid eye movement why is it classified as being in stage 4 of sleep and not its own stage?

 

[Ryan_m_b]

Candydude you were warned last time you set up a sleeping thread not to just ask question after question and do some research yourself.

 

[candydude357]

Already did that, there are lots of different facts & theories about it.
Also is breathing a conscious, subconscious or unconscious process? Kuz you breathe without noticing but you can notice&control.

 

[bobze]

Already did that, there are lots of different facts & theories about it.
Also is breathing a conscious, subconscious or unconscious process? Kuz you breathe without noticing but you can notice&control.

You have breathing central pattern generators in the mid-caudal medulla that control your breathing unconsciously. You can over ride those with upper motor neuron pathways because most of the breathing muscles are skeletal.

 

[candydude357]

But is it true that you ruminate in deep sleep? Because I know that you can dream in all 5 stages (according to multiple sources) and "you only dream in REM" is a misconception.

 

[candydude357]

Also if you fell asleep when it's loud around you and it became quiet when you slept would you wake up?

 

[DaveC426913]

But is it true that you ruminate in deep sleep?

Are you asking if one thinks deeply in one's sleep, or if one chews one's cud in one's sleep?

 

[candydude357]

Are you asking if one thinks deeply in one's sleep, or if one chews one's cud in one's sleep?

Thinks deeply.

 

[DaveC426913]

Thinks deeply.

Usually thinking is associated with the conscious mind. I am not sure if it is meaningful to talk about thinking in the unconscious mind. But I suppose that is a semantic issue. THe brain continues to process. I guess you'll have to define what you mean by thinking (deeply).

 

[DaveC426913]

Also if you fell asleep when it's loud around you and it became quiet when you slept would you wake up?

That can happen, yes.

You are not deaf when asleep. You do still receive audio input, which is capable of stimulating you out of sleep.

 

[candydude357]

Usually thinking is associated with the conscious mind. I am not sure if it is meaningful to talk about thinking in the unconscious mind. But I suppose that is a semantic issue. THe brain continues to process. I guess you'll have to define what you mean by thinking (deeply).

Is your mind completely unconscious, conscious or subconscious?
I get all kinds of answers...

 

[Proton Soup]

Is your mind completely unconscious, conscious or subconscious?
I get all kinds of answers...

it's not entirely clear. there are even people who claim to practice "lucid dreaming" where they attempt to influence the content of their dreams.

but not all sleep is REM sleep where dreaming occurs. there are different stages with varying levels of brain activity.

 

[candydude357]

it's not entirely clear. there are even people who claim to practice "lucid dreaming" where they attempt to influence the content of their dreams.

but not all sleep is REM sleep where dreaming occurs. there are different stages with varying levels of brain activity.

according to most sources you can have dreams in all stages.

 

[candydude357]

So does sleep involve COMPLETE unconscioucness?
Or COMPLETE consciousness?
Or partial consciousness/subconsciousness?

 

[apeiron]

Is your mind completely unconscious, conscious or subconscious?
I get all kinds of answers...

Why does the question even matter to you? What difference would it make if you knew the answer?

 

[candydude357]

Can someone answer please?

 

[apeiron]

<bump>

Why does the question even matter to you? What difference would it make if you knew the answer?

 

[candydude357]

What I'm wondering about is if you exist during sleep.

 

[apeiron]

What I'm wondering about is if you exist during sleep.

Does a tree falling in the woods still make a sound?

 

[candydude357]

Yes but that doesn't answer my question about sleep

 

[apeiron]

Yes but that doesn't answer my question about sleep

Why not?

 

[DaveC426913]

What I'm wondering about is if you exist during sleep.

Of course you exist. Are you looking you get this thread moved to Philosophy?

 

[Proton Soup]

What I'm wondering about is if you exist during sleep.

you exist until http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brain_death"