This film explores the strange and relatively unknown world of sleep—a state in which we spend approximately one-third of our lives. The Mystery of Sleep details Dr. Nathaniel Kleitman’s 1950s discovery of rapid eye movement during the human dream period, a finding that brought about a much broader understanding of the mechanisms of sleep. Before his discovery, it was believed that the brain was in a state of rest during sleep. Dr. Kleitman’s discovery prompted explorations of the nature and frequency of dreams and nightmares, and the sleep disorders that affect millions of Americans.

The film uses computer-generated images to illustrate dream cycles and the state of “active paralysis” in which humans usually sleep. Featured are interviews with several of the leading figures in sleep research, including Dr. William Dement of Stanford University, author or co-author of more than five hundred scientific publications on sleep including the book The Promise of Sleep. And despite the many advances in this field, as one researcher notes, “We know more about Mars and Venus than about sleep.”

"This is a fantastic documentary on how the field of sleep has evolved from being truly mysterious to one of intrigue as some of those mysteries have been explored and solved by the experts in our field and some have not.”

‒ Glenna L. Carroll, Crozer School of Clinical Neurophysiology, Upland, PA

Western Psychological Association Convention Festival, 2011