Understanding and Using Dreams to Learn and to Forget

This episode is all about the two major kinds of dreams and the sorts of learning and unlearning they are used for. I discuss REM-associated dreams that control emotional learning and their similarity to various trauma treatments such as ketamine and EMDR. I also discuss Non-REM dreams and their role in motor learning and learning of detailed, non-emotionally-laden information. I relate this to science-backed tools for accessing more of the types of sleep and learning people may want. Other topics are listed in the time stamps below. Please put any questions or thoughts (or dreams!) you have in the comments section.

Social:

Timestamps below.
00:00 Introduction
03:00 The Dream Mask
06:00 Cycling Sleep
08:10 Chemical Cocktails of Sleep
13:00 Motor Learning
16:30 High Performance with Less Sleep
17:45 Rapid Eye Movement Sleep
20:30 Paralysis & Hallucinations
23:35 Nightmares
24:45 When REM & Waking Collide
25:00 Sleeping While Awake
26:45 Alien Abductions
29:00 Irritability
30:00 Sleep to Delete
32:25 Creating Meaning
34:10 Adults Acting Like Children
36:20 Trauma & REM
37:15 EMDR
39:10 Demo
44:25 Ketamine / PCP
45:45 Soup, Explosions, & NMDA
48:55 Self Therapy
50:30 Note About Hormones
51:40 Measuring REM / SWS
53:15 Sleep Consistency
56:00 Bed Wetting
58:00 Serotonin
59:00 Increasing SWS
59:50 Lucidity
1:02:15 Booze / Weed
1:03:50 Scripting Dreams
1:04:35 Theory of Mind
1:07:55 Synthesis
1:10:00 Intermittent Sleep Deprivation
1:11:10 Snoring Disclaimer
1:11:40 New Topic
1:15:50 Corrections
1:17:25 Closing Remarks

As always, thank you for your interest in science!

Please note that The Huberman Lab Podcast is distinct from Dr. Huberman's teaching and research roles at Stanford University School of Medicine. The information provided in this show is not medical advice, nor should it be taken or applied as a replacement for medical advice. The Huberman Lab Podcast, its employees, guests and affiliates assume no liability for the application of the information discussed.

[winbalingit]

I recently had a patient with PTSD have an anxiety attack while we were waiting for his doctors appointment, I am a case manager. After listening to your podcast, I took him outside and told him to scan the horizon back and forth as we walked. I don’t know if I did it correctly, my grasp of EMDR is remedial at best, but it worked! He was so relieved, he now uses it himself as a tool to help cope with his anxiety!Your tools definitely bumped up my nursing game!!😁👍🏽Thank you!!🙏🏽

[elainejarvie]

I must tell you that enjoying the morning and evening light each day has changed my sleeping 100%. I have struggled for over 25 years to fall asleep. I literally thought I had tried everything. Immediately, I am sleeping so soundly that I wake up with a huge smile on my face. And...I love to walk outside and notice the sun rising and setting. What a beautiful way to bookcase my day.

[taylorbartholomew]

The fact that you disperse this information for free means more than you know to me, and im sure many others. Thanks man

[RunToTheHills]

Empowering regular people with knowledge and free tools to live a better life. A very noble act, I bow to you with respect.

[Puffdaddy]

I found this guy by googling subjects to learn about why I felt the way I do. I have the intuition to know what is going on in my body, but I don’t have the scientific knowledge to explain exactly what is happening.

This podcast has been a blessing in that sense. Letting me know I’m not crazy, validating that I can trust my intuition, and ultimately giving me the answers to questions I’ve had for years - in a way I understand.

Has someone ever told you something that you kind of already knew, but they say it in a way that makes it click and it shifts your perspective? I feel that for 2 hours whenever I watch these.

[anaespinosa]

This comment section is the most polite section I've ever seen

[johnnyregs]

The Professor himself back to serve us up the sweet nectar of knowledge! Monday's are now my favorite days.

[DreamsofStardust]

You just answered in a scientific way, why I kept having dreams about my ex-husband for so many years after our divorce. I always tried to tackle this from a spiritual view point and you just helped me understand what my brain was doing in a matter of 20 minutes. It's been self-induced therapy! WOW!!

[roscoetosscobble]

You can’t possibly know what these videos have meant to me personally. After years of being awake for 2, 3 days and nights in a row, when I recently went 4 days and nights without sleep I found your podcasts and for the first time in years, slept 3 nights in a row. It was the information learned about light that really helped. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

[rosadellacasa]

I just discovered these podcasts. I am learning so much and taking so many notes that I feel like I am back in school. This information is useful and fascinating. I plan to watch them all. Thank you.

[fannabee]

I love this podcast. It is brilliant. The humor is A+. Also the self-correction in the end is an other reason why I honor and look up to this professor a lot. Thank you so much! Long live Costello!

[gemmamccabekelly]

As a Psychotherapist, I am deeply thankful for you taking the time to educate us all. Thank you so much.

[donatotaglialatela]

Every monday i'm here, It's starting to become a habit

[jeffferris]

This man is life changing gift to all of us❤.

[chezfavi]

Got to love his enthusiasm and passion for neuroscience! Plus over one hour of free educational content by this guy, it's just mindblowing. Thank you!

[xorencryption]

For once YouTube recommendations proved to be very useful and I have been consuming any speech, presentation, pod cast you have ever produced 😀

[rishavkumarsingh]

Whenever you explain a concept/theory, you simultaneously give an example too, that helps me understand, keep it up.

[anneis]

I had a personal experience with EDMR.
I was recounting a story to a psychologist about a traumatic childhood event. It was so traumatic that I started to feel numb and dizzy and then when the pyschologist did the EDMR on my eyes. ( I had to follow her fingers moving from side to side)
In about 5 minutes I went from complete fear to complete peace. It was so quick!

[gravijax]

This is an incredible series. I’m not kidding when I say these last 5 episodes have likely been the most informative and transformative hours of my life (even including my masters!). After years of low mood and general anxiety, I’m only a week into adapting some of the techniques you discuss but already reaping dividends (particularly the impact of light exposure). I am actively sharing this podcast to everyone I know. A wholehearted thank you.

[thehardhustlers]

I'm really glad Dr. Huberman has such a large and positive community here on YouTube. These videos are bigger for shaping my life more than any other person/creator. Thank you!