Compare and contrast two theories on sleep
Sleep plays a vital role in our daily lives. ... We abandon vigilance in order to sleep; we render ourselves vulnerable when we sleep. But, what is sleep for? ... How do the benefits of sleep outweigh the risks? There are many theories to explain this and here are just three of them, the learning theory, maintenance theory and developmental theory. The Learning theory, Empson & Clarke (1970), suggests that we reorganize and sort information whilst we sleep, like a stocktake on the brain. It states that the neurons that are involved in memory and attentive learning rest in sleep, especially during REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep. ... The animals were trained and deprived of REM sleep. The deprivation of REM sleep showed, in that the animals learned poorly, but when they were left to sleep normally, they learned what would have previously take ages. Therefore, REM sleep reinforces memory. REM sleep increases during the period in which an animal is trained and REM sleep deprivation impedes new learning. Therefore it is theorized that during REM sleep, memory is reinforced and the proper amount of REM sleep is needed for the brain to acquire new information. REM sleep plays a role in memory retention and consolidation. One of the more prominent studies done to prove this theory was this: There are two groups of students, who had learned the same material the evening before.