JOSIANNE BARRETTE-MORAN
I have been a teacher in vocational programs for several years. As a night owl, I was lucky to be able to teach in the afternoon and grade papers at night.
More recently, I have been a bioethics facilitator with medical students. I have commented on the lack of sleep education and training in their programs and have been a guest speaker for Somnambulations (Panel 3: Critiquing Norms in Sleep and Sleep Research).
I will present the outline of my doctoral project on dreams and ethics at the upcoming International Association for the Study of Dreams colloquium.
In a few words, explain what drew you to this project.
Being social and sleeping are two of the most fundamental and universal human needs, but they had yet to be given due importance in mainstream discourses. The Sociability of Sleep project provides us creators and researchers with an unprecedented outlet where we can address that, and collectively rethink the 24-hour cycle with an inclusive mindset.
Q & A
How would you describe your relationship to sleep?
I am living with a sleep-wake phase disorder, so I think about sleep all the time. I love sleeping. The more control I have over my schedule, the better I sleep.
What is your optimal sleep environment?
To me, temperature and olfactory landscapes are the main factors for creating an optimal sleep environment. In the winter, I usually have a hot water bottle in my bed. It is a simple and effective way to stay warm. Otherwise, aromatherapy works wonders for me.
Have you ever had any particularly notable recurring dreams?
I have. They are basically replays of important life events where I get to test and try various things and experience different outcomes. The epitome of ‘woulda, shoulda, coulda’. Also, I sometimes recognize places from previous dreams. I think the first time I saw a depiction of this phenomenon was with the dream architect in Inception. Shortly after that, I came across the term hypnogeography and realized wow, this is a thing!