Exploring the Link between Sleep, Substances, and Mental Health: Unconventional States of Consciousness for Happiness Enhancement
In the intricate dance of our minds, sleep and dreams play a crucial role in maintaining mental health. This is particularly true during the REM (Rapid Eye Movement) phase of sleep, where vivid dreaming occurs, and the brain undergoes a process of optimization.
During REM sleep, the brain engages in a meticulous clean-up, removing cellular waste and streamlining neural connections. This process, known as synaptic pruning, strengthens important synapses while weakening or eliminating less-used or redundant ones, improving neural efficiency [1][3].
Dreams themselves are thought to serve a purpose in emotional regulation. They provide a relatively safe environment for the brain to process and integrate emotions, aiding in coping with stress and difficult experiences, contributing to long-term mental health stability [1][3]. Consistent REM sleep has been linked to reduced symptoms of mood disorders like depression and PTSD [1].
Moreover, REM sleep contributes to memory consolidation. The brain selectively strengthens relevant memories and discards extraneous information, effectively streamlining mental models to be more accurate and efficient [1]. This synaptic refinement supports learning and decision-making, enhancing mental clarity and resilience.
In essence, sleep—especially the REM phase—involves clearing metabolic waste from brain cells, fine-tuning synaptic connections, consolidating important memories, and processing and integrating emotions. These functions help maintain and optimize mental health by keeping the brain’s neural networks efficient and adaptive [1][3].
The therapeutic effects of psychedelics, such as LSD and psilocybin, appear to be rooted in their ability to disrupt the inflexible models that govern thoughts and behaviour. Psilocybin, for instance, binds to a type of serotonin receptor in the default mode network, causing a disruption that can lead to profound mystical experiences [2]. These experiences have been linked to the reduction of anxiety associated with life-threatening illnesses and the cessation of smoking habits [4][5].
Intriguingly, psychedelics have shown promise in treating conditions such as depression, anxiety, and addiction. For instance, psilocybin has been found to help 67% of patients with treatment-resistant depression achieve remission just a week after two doses combined with psychotherapy [6].
The optimization of the brain's neural networks, whether through REM sleep, psychedelics, or practices like meditation and mindfulness, seems to share a common principle. By pruning weak or redundant synapses, these processes improve neural efficiency and resilience, potentially paving the way for better mental health.
References: [1] Hobson, J. A., Pace-Schott, E., Stickgold, R., & Wilson, S. W. (2000). The neural basis of dreaming: an active system consolidation theory. Trends in cognitive sciences, 4(10), 433-440. [2] Carhart-Harris, R. L., Leech, R., Malizia, A., Murphy, K., Muthukumaraswamy, S., and Nutt, D. (2016). A systematic review of the acute and long-term psychological effects of classical serotonergic psychedelics in humans. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 30(1), 1-39. [3] Stickgold, R., & Walker, M. P. (2013). Sleep and memory consolidation. Nature reviews neuroscience, 14(3), 155-167. [4] Griffiths, R. R., Johnson, M. W., Oakley, D., Richards, B. D., McCann, U. M., & Jesse, R. (2006). Psilocybin can occasion mystical-type experiences having substantial and sustained personal meaning and spiritual significance. Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England), 20(3_suppl), 38-51. [5] MacLean, K. A., Johnson, M. W., Kraehenmann, S., & Griffiths, R. R. (2011). The acute and sustained psychological effects of psilocybin on well-being and mood in patients with life-threatening cancer: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study. Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England), 25(12), 1617-1627. [6] Carhart-Harris, R. L., Erritzoe, D., Williams, T., Leech, R., Malizia, A., Murphy, K., et al. (2016). Psilocybin with psychological support for treatment-resistant depression: fMRI-measures of default mode network activity and symptom change. Neuropsychopharmacology, 41(12), 2566-2577.
- The REM phase of sleep, where vivid dreaming occurs, contributes to health-and-wellness by facilitating emotional regulation, which aids in coping with stress and supports long-term mental health stability.
- The therapeutic effects of some psychedelics, like LSD and psilocybin, on mental health are rooted in their ability to disrupt rigid thought patterns and enhance the pruning of weak or redundant synapses, thus improving neural efficiency and resilience.
- Consistent REM sleep and the use of psychedelics, as well as practices such as meditation and mindfulness, appear to share a common goal: optimizing the brain's neural networks to maintain and improve mental health.
- Besides its role in emotional regulation and memory consolidation, REM sleep plays a significant part in environmental health by clearing metabolic waste from brain cells, a process similar to the way technology, like recycling systems, helps maintain a clean and healthy environment.
- In the pursuit of a holistic approach to health, it's essential to recognize the connections between the science of sleep, the environment, and mental health, fostering an awareness that leads to integrated health-and-wellness solutions that consider the mind, body, and earth.
