u3a

Edinburgh u3a

Monthly Meeting: “Sleep and Dreams"

Talk by Dr Bob Pullen     

Dr Bob Pullen is a retired University lecturer whose field is the human brain. This talk will cover the following interesting areas:

+ The Science of being awake and asleep, and how these start in a small region deep in the brain. 

+ The Evolution of sleep and how our own sleep/awake cycle can be moved (e.g. night-shift workers), but cannot be eliminated. 

+ Description of two main types of sleep: Deep Sleep (when we might sleep-walk) and REM sleep; and how we cycle between these types of sleep during a normal night.  Most of us dream most nights during REM sleep, and Bob explains how our brain is able to create our dreams. 

+ The content of dreams, and their possible meaning. 

Be prepared - Bob will ask the audience to talk about their own dreams!

There will be tea, coffee and biscuits after the talk.

Page last updated on 6th July 2026