Sleep Journal

Sleep Journal and Reflection Project
The meaning, origin, and analysis of dreams have fascinated psychologists since the inception of the field of psychology. Sigmund Freud, often referred to as the father of psychology, focused a great deal of his theoretical energy on trying to understand and interpret dreams.
Contemporary psychologists are beginning to recognize the interconnectivity of human physiology and psychology in a way not previously understood. This is in part because of new interest in holistic health and in part because of brain/body connections we are now able to see and understand for the first time due to enhanced technology. Yoga, mindfulness, healthy eating, meditation, holistic health – all of these practices are gaining more traction in mainstream society and among psychological circles as we recognize how the mind and body work together. 
Specifically, for this assignment you will:

Keep a sleep/dream journal

any dreams you had
any initial thoughts about the dream – events of       the day that may relate, etc.
your general sleep schedule (if you have a tracker       such as fitbit, include data on your sleep patterns as well –       wakefulness, restlessness, times asleep/awake per night, total sleep,       etc.)
your general eating habits by day
your general exercise habits by day
anything else of note in your psychological or       physical health (stress, excitement, changes, etc.)

You may use any format you wish to record the data      (notepad, computer, hardcopy spreadsheet, etc.).
Complete a 3 page reflection (not counting title      or reference pages) in which you analyze the results of your sleep/dream      journal. Consider how your psychological and physical health interacted.      What patterns did you see? Discuss the impact that various factors such as      fatigue, diet, stress and exercise had on your dreams and sleep patterns.      Explain how this insight may impact your behaviors in the future to lead      to better psychological and physical health.
Utilize at least 2 academic resources (your course      readings can comprise one of the sources) to support your analysis and      discussion.