Message 6903                                   DATE/TIME: 06/12/94 06:15
From   : DALE MAHALKO
To     : ALL
Subject: Purpose of Sleep & Theorized Function of
Folder : A, "Public Mail"

I have some theories on what the functional purposes of sleeping
are, along with the functions of certain parts of the brain and
memory. But since I am "merely" a 20-year old with no formal
training, I have no way of testing these ideas out and proving or
disproving them. As such, I am putting these ideas down on paper
and submitting them to KeelyNet in hopes that those familiar to
this subject matter can let me know how close I am to the current
knowledge. Additionally, this material just might contain some
new ideas not yet considered that may be worth studying. Whatever
the case, I'd like to hear your comments. --Dale
  
First some reference material to aid the elaboration of my ideas... 
  
From MIND13.ASC:
  
>    Scientists have generalized the different brain wave
>frequencies to indicate what sort of activity the brain is engaged
>in. The generalized frequencies are
>
>  Beta(13-30Hz);
>  Alpha(8-13Hz);
>  Theta(4-7Hz);
>  Delta(0.5-4Hz)
>
>Beta waves are associated with a "normal" level of arousal with
>attention directed externally. High Beta waves are associated
>with heavy stress.
>
>Alpha waves are associated with relaxation. Theta waves are
>associated with deep reverie, mental imagery, and access to deep-
>rooted memories. Delta is associated with deep sleep.
  
--------------------------------------------------------------------
  
From the book "Sleep Positions: The Night Language of the Body" by
Samuel Dunkell, M.D., p19: (bastardized ASCII version of chart)
  
>Plots of EEG stages during three nights. the equal signs above the
>EEG lines indicate periods during which rapid eye movements were
>seen. The vertical lines indicate the end of one EEG cycle and the
>start of the next. 
>
>A:-           ==|           ====|              ===|      =====|
>1:-           --            ----               ---       -----
>2: -         -  -     -    -    ----  ---------   -------     -
>3: ---      -    --- - ---          --
>4:    ------        -     -
>
>A:-                     ===|         ==|        =======
>1:-        |            ---          ---        -------
>2:-       --     -     -   ----     -   --------
>3: -        -   - -----        -----
>4:  ------   ---
>
>A:-         ==|         ===|            =======|   -     ===|
>1:-         --          ---             -------     -    ---
>2: -       -  -      ---   --------   --       -  -  ----   --
>3:  - -  -     --                  --           --
>4:   - -- -      ----                -
>
>0========1========2========3========4========5========6========7
>                         HOURS OF SLEEP
  
------------------------------------------------------------------
  
  Now, based on that and the theories of the relationship of the
brain to a computer, in addition to the theories of the holographic
brain and universe, I reason that the purpose of sleep is so that
the subconscious brain can sort through the data picked up
during the waking hours and then compress and store it in the
permanent memory storage areas.
  It is my belief that our memory system has a number of areas
sectioned off for certain purposes that each part of the brain
needs to operate. For example, there is the highly volitale short-
term memory area that has been shown to store up to a maximum of
5 to 9 thought items or roughly five seconds into the past, along
with incredibly long-term areas that, under hypnosis, allow us to
recall the specific details for an event in our past.
  Of these memory structures, there is one area where all the
incoming external data (sound, touch, smell, etc) and passing 
internal thoughts are stored over the course of the day. The
purpose of this is that our brain is simply too busy interacting
with the outside world to store the data as it comes in deep
holographic storage.
  Memorization requires effort, so much so that we must shut down
our interactions for long enough to stabilize and bind the thought
into our permanent storage banks. Or at least repeat and go over
the thoughts long enough to do the same.
  I theorize that during sleep the deep stages of sleep are when
our brain almost totally shuts down all external inputs and is
busily processing the accumulated thoughts. The processing may
be a form of lossless data compression and association and 
"packing" into the holographic structures of the body-mind. Look
at this excerpt from above:
  >Alpha waves are associated with relaxation. Theta waves are
>associated with deep reverie, mental imagery, and access to deep
>rooted memories. Delta is associated with deep sleep.
  
  I would associate Delta with the compression/storage mode. The
compression may be of a type where the initial compression requires
a great deal of processing, but followup retrieval requires a lot
less effort. Hence we store in Delta, and recall in Theta.
  The sleep cycles may be due to processing limitations. The Delta
compaction systems may only be able to handle a given amount of
data, and as such on the first deep sleep cycle, the Delta systems
grab a large chunk consisting of some, but not all, of the daily
accumulated thoughts. At the end of the first cycle, the Delta
systems have fully processed the data and are ready for more, which
is done by moving back up into the higher frequency levels. Then
more data is shifted from the daily storage bank and the brain goes
back into the Delta cycles until all the data has been processed.
  In the EEG graph for night 3, the first cycle of Delta shifts
several times from Delta the Theta and back again. This may have
been due to external sounds or disruptions to the sleeper. The 
brain never completely shuts down, but instead maintains a low
level monitoring of the environment. As such, there may have been
disruptions that temporarily halted the Delta processing, but were
determined unimportant and Delta processing resumed, only to be
disrupted a few more times. This may have resulted in incomplete
processing of the data and required extra processing during the
2nd sleep cycle to compensate for the disruptions.
  Delta is most likely only accessed when we sleep because this
compression and storage requires almost all our processing power.
As such, we cannot deal with external problems immediately and
must pass through the increasing levels of awareness before we
can properly deal with the situation. So Delta is obviously out
of the question when we are roaming about in our waking world.
When we go to sleep, we usually are in a place we know we will
be safe for the rest of the night (or at least for a while) and
can allow ourselves to go into the deep stages feeling reasonably
secure that we won't be faced with danger.
  
(continued in next message..) 
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Message 6904                                   DATE/TIME: 06/12/94 06:29
From   : DALE MAHALKO
To     : ALL
Subject: Purpose of Sleep (part 2)
Folder : A, "Public Mail"

  What of this memory storage area? I would say that the data
accumulated in it is collected as part of a subconscious drive to
learn and look for new patterns and relationships in our world.
We cannot know what details we pick up over the course of our
lives might turn out to be important later, so it is certainly a
good idea to remember as much of our past as we can.
  But although the brain is highly complex, it isn't infinite.
And neither is this area is storage (I doubt that it might even
be holographic and highly redundant to any great degree, due to
the need for data to rapidly move in and out). Sure, it may
handle the data we pick up over the course of a day or two without
sleep, but eventually we reach a point where we start running out
of storage space if we stay awake too long. This is known as 
sleep deprivation, and a person suffering from it gets very
irritable and suffers from a loss of mental alertness.
  The irritability is most likely the result of an internal
unconscious warning signal that we're starting to run out of
memory and so to conserve what capacity remains, it is a good
idea to minimize interactions with the world. Any time such a
person is forced into a situation that demands attention, the
data accumulation resumes at full power and the warning signals
get more pronounced.
  The mental fogginess may be due to this region of memory
serving the double purpose of being the scratchpad area for
constructive thinking. Since space would be limited, so would
the amount of material that could be processed. And of course,
as the material is processed, it is stored there for later
storage, further reducing the available memory.
  Additionally, a person could just spontaneously doze off
without any control over it. This would be the result of
reaching a point where the subconscious systems take 
emergency action. They take over and force the person into
going into the Delta state to free up some memory space.
  If a person is still unable to get any sleep, the final
stages of sleep deprivation can lead to psychosis and even
death. The psychosis may be the result of the mental
scratchpad area being used up to the point that not enough
remains to allow any constructive processing and coherent
thought.
  Death may be the result of an irrecoverable system failure
of the brain and/or body. During sleep, we not only process
thoughts, but important chemicals are produced and stored that
our body needs to continue functioning properly. Without sleep,
these chemical supplies are not repleneshed, leading to erratic
functioning and eventual total system failure.
   
  What of the stages of sleep following the deep Delta sleep?
I theorize that the four levels of sleep patterns may relate
to different kinds of priorities. It may be that the Delta
sleep is the top priority and comes first, processing the
memories and preparing the system for new data which may come
a lot sooner than expected.
  Following that may be the secondary aspects, the chemical
replenishing, the repairs to damged organs, and so on for the
rest of the night. 
 
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Comments? Suggestions? Worthy of making into a Biology archive
file? :-)
 
--Dale Mahalko
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