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Sleep is a state of altered consciousness (different levels of awareness), characterized by certain patterns of brain activity.
State of awareness, including a person’s feelings, sensations, ideas, and perceptions
People who are fully aware with their attention focused on something are conscious of that “something”
A person who is not completely aware is in a different level of consciousness – altered state of consciousness (e.g., sleep)
Freud’s level of consciousness
Stages of Sleep I
II
III
IV (deepest sleep of all)
REM Sleep A stage of sleep characterized by rapid eye
movements, a high level of brain activity, a deep relaxation of the muscles, and dreaming
Known as active sleep – as if you were awake
Almost all dreaming takes place at REM sleep
Lasts 15-45 minutes
We go through this cycle every 90 minutes
At no point does your brain become inactive
• Spend 1/3 of our lives in sleep
• Newborns – 16 hours a day sleeping, ½ of it in REM sleep
• Teens – 10 to 11 hours
• Young Adults – 8 hours
• Elderly – 5 hours
Rhythm of activity and inactivity lasting approximately one day
Biological clock genetically programmed to regulate physiological responses within 25 hours
Jet Lag – takes about one day for each hour of time change to reset your circadian clock
Sleep is an active state essential for mental/physical functioning
Insomnia (mental) – failure to obtain enough sleep at night in order to feel rested/Why? – anxiety, depression, overuse of alcohol/drugs
Sleep Apnea (physical) – person has trouble breathing while asleep/flow of air to lungs actually stops/affects one in 100 Americans/usually occurs among older people
Narcolepsy – suddenly falling asleep or feeling very sleepy during the day
Nightmares – unpleasant dreams/occur during dream phase of REM sleep
Night Terrors – sleep disruptions that occur during Stage IV of sleep, involving screaming, panic, and confusion
Sleepwalking – walking or carrying out behaviors while asleep, without any memory of doing so/associated with children/may be inherited/not dangerous to wake sleepwalkers
Sleep Talking – talk in your sleep/talk as if carrying a conversation with someone
The Content of Dreams
Often we incorporate our everyday activities into our dreams
Dream Interpretation
Freud believed that no matter how simple or mundane, dreams may contain clues to thoughts the dreamer is afraid to acknowledge in his/her waking hours
Contain hidden meanings
Some researchers believe dreaming allows people a chance to review and address some of the problems they faced during the day
Removing certain, unneeded memories
Form of mental housecleaning
Daydreams
Dreaming while we are awake
Usually when we are in situations that require little attention or when we are bored
Lucid Dreaming
Hypnosis Form of altered consciousness in which people
become highly suggestible to changes in behavior and thought
Used for assistance in quitting smoking, losing weight, etc.
Does not put participant to sleep Theories of Hypnosis Uses of Hypnosis Posthypnotic Suggestion A suggestion made during hypnosis that influences the
participant’s behavior afterward
Process of learning to control bodily states with the help of specialized machines
Feedback makes learning possible
Focusing of attention to clear one’s mind and produce relaxation
Three Approaches
1. Transendental Meditation
- repetition of mantra
2. Mindfulness Meditation
- focuses on the present moment
3. Breath Meditation
- concentration on one’s respiration
- process of inhaling and exhaling
Psychoactive Drugs Interact with central nervous system to
alter a person’s mood, perception, and behavior (e.g., caffeine, alcohol, marijuana, LSD)
Chemicals that affect the nervous system and result in altered consciousness
How Drugs Work Drug molecules act like neurotransmitters
and hook onto the ends of nerve cells (neurons) and send out their own chemical messages
Marijuana
Dried leaves and flowers of Indian hemp that produce an altered state of consciousness when smoked or ingested
THC – tetrahydrocannabinol – active ingredient
Hallucinations
Perceptions that have no direct external cause
Seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, or feelings that do not exist
Portions of brain that respond to incoming stimuli become disorganized, while central nervous system is aroused
Hallucinogens
Drugs that produce hallucinations
Psychedelic – create loss of contact with reality
LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide) A potent psychedelic drug that produces
distortions of perception and thought
Trip lasts 6 to 14 hours
May have flashback experiences, even months/years after taking LSD
Opiates
Usually called narcotics
Opium, morphine, heroin
Alcohol Most widely used and abused mind-altering
substance in the United States
Depressant that serves to inhibit the brain’s normal functions
Increased drinking within specific time, ability to function diminishes
Drug Abuse and Treatment Drug abusers are people who regularly use
illegal drugs or excessively use legal drugs
Can turn into addiction
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