Consciousness

Consciousness

subjective experience of the world, the physical body, and cognitive processes

Circadian Rhythm

cyclical changes that occur on a roughly 24-hour basis in many biological processes

Rapid Eye Movement (REM)

stage of sleep during which the brain is most active and includes vivid dreaming.

REM Rebound

the amount and intensity of REM increases

REM Sleep

stage of sleep during which the brain is most active and vivd dreaming most often occurs

non-REM (NREM) sleep

stages 1 through 4 of the sleep cycle, during which rapid eye movements do not occur and dreaming is less frequent and vivid

Lucid Dreaming

experience of becoming aware that one is dreaming

Insomnia

difficulty falling and staying asleep

Narcolepsy

rapid and often unexpected onset of sleep

Sleep Apnea

blockage of the airway during sleep, resulting in daytime fatigue

Night Terrors

sudden waking episodes characterized by screaming, perspiring, and confusion followed by a return to a deep sleep

Sleep Paralysis

state of being unable to move just before falling asleep or right before waking up

Vestibular Motor Hallucinations

feeling of floating or flying

Intruder Hallucination

seeing an alien, demon, witch, or other paranormal creature

Incubus Hallucination

perceived body contact, often by a visually hallucinated creature

Sleepwalking

walking while fully asleep

Sleeping Beauty Syndrome

persistent episodic hypersomnia

Hallucinations

realistic perceptual experiences in the absence of a stimulus

Out-of-Body Experiences

sense of our consciousness leaving our body

Near-Death Experiences

out-of-body experience reported by people who have nearly died or thought they were going to die

Mystical Experiences

feelings of unity or oneness with the world, often with strong spiritual overtones

Hypnosis

set of techniques that provide people with suggestions for alterations in their perceptions, thoughts, feelings, and behaviours

Psychoactive Drugs

substance that contains chemicals similar to those found naturally in our brains that alter consciousness by changing chemical processes in neurons

Abuse

recurrent problems associated with use of the drug

Tolerance

reduction in the effect of a drug as a result of repeated use, requiring users to consume greater quantities to achieve the same effect

Withdrawal

unpleasant effects of reducing or stopping consumption of a drug that users had consumed habitually

Substance Dependence

more serious pattern of use, leading to clinically significant impairment, distress, or both

Physical Dependence

dependence on a drug that occurs when people continue to take it to avoid withdrawal symptoms

Addiction

a condition that results when an individual ingests a substance that can be pleasurable but continuation of which becomes compulsive and interferes with ordinary responsibilities and concerns

Depressants

drugs that depress the effects of the central nervous system

Stimulants

drug that increases activity in the central nervous system, including heart rate, respiration, and blood pressure

Psychedelics

drugs that produce dramatic alterations in perception, mood, and thought

Biological Clock

term for the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) in the hypothalamus that’s responsible for controling our levels of alertness

neurocognitive theory

theory that dreams are supported by the brain’s default network and are a meaningful product of our cognitive capacities, which shape what we dream about

dream continuity hypothesis

hypothesis that there is continuity between sleeping and waking experiences and that dreams can mirror circumstances

Déjà Vu

feeling of reliving an experience that’s new

hypnosis

an interpersonal situation in which imaginative suggestions are administered for changes in consciousness