Consciousness, Sleep, Hypnosis & Drugs.

Consciousness

The awareness of yourself and your environment. The part of our brain where we can retrieve facts, memories ideas, and combine it with critical thinking.

Nonconscious Process

Where multitasking happens. The conscious mind can only focus on one task, while this process helps us be able to focus on multiple tasks.

Parallel Processing

The process that helps us walk, talk, blink and breathe all at the same time.

Cocktail Party Effect

Being able to focus on one particular sound while mostly tuning off other sounds around us, even though we can still hear them.

Levels of the Nonconscious Mind : Preconscious

Information that isn't currently in our conscious thoughts but we can remember when we choose to. This can also include emotions and memories that were pushed out of awareness (repressed) but can be brought back.

Levels of the Nonconscious Mind : Unconsciousness

Freud felt that this part of the mind was not directly accessible to awareness.

Ego

Based on the reality principle. Understands that other people have needs and desires and that sometimes being impulsive or selfish is bad, even if it meets the needs of the id.

Id

Based on the pleasure principle. The id wants whatever feels good at the time, with no consideration for the reality or appropriateness of the situation.

Superego

The moral part of us and develops due to the morals and ethics of our parents. Dictates our belief of right and wrong, and is guided by our morals and social norms.

Daydreaming

When our attention drifts away from current tasks and external surroundings toward our own internal personal thoughts and feelings. Serve valuable functions such as planning and problem solving.

Biological Rhythms

Regular changes in our psychological state that affect body processes like temperature, blood pressure, and how well medicines work.

Biological Rhythms : Circadian Rhythms

The body’s natural 24-hour cycle. Controls things like when we awake or when we feel sleepy and other body processes.

Biological Rhythms : Ultradian Rhythms

Cycles in our body that happen multiple times throughout a 24-hour day, like the various stages of sleep each night.

Biological Rhythms : Infradian Rhythms

Cycles in our body that occur less often than once every 24 hours, such as monthly or seasonal cycles.

Melatonin

A hormone that helps us regulate our wake-sleep cycle. It is released by our brain when it gets dark, making us feel sleepy and helping prepare our body for sleep.

Adenosine

A chemical that builds up in our brain the longer we are awake, making us feel increasingly tired and sleepy. During sleep, this chemical decreases, helping us feel more rested.

Sleep and Hypothalamus

The hypothalamus is the control center for our 24-hour rhythm of sleep. The hypothalamus senses changes in light and dark and sends neurological messages to your brain and body that put you to sleep.

Sleep Cycles

The sleep-wake cycle itself is a part of our circadian rhythm. While we sleep, we go through a 90-minute ultradian sleep cycle. As we relax and try to go to sleep, our brain waves cycle more and more slowly. Once asleep, we go through 3 stages of relatively quiet sleep before we go to the more active dreaming stage.

Brain Waves : Beta Waves

Brain Waves : Delta Waves