Levels of Consciousness and Dreams

Consciousness

a state of awareness

Subconscious

where our prejudices, biases, and automatic feelings and behaviors lies. (our dark thoughts)

Unconscious

A state of unawareness

Daydreams / Fantasies function to

1) prepare us for future events

2) Keeps you sane

3) Keeps us creative

Biological Rhythms

4 of them

Annual cycle

Mostly for animals. Mating, migration, and hibernation. For people its Seasonal Affect Disorder (SAD)

28 day cycle

Only applies to women (Menstrual cycle)

24 hour cycle (Circadian rhythm)

a) sleep wake cycle

b) metabolism

c) body temp

Body temp cycle

coldest in the morning hottest in the evening (cycle repeats itself)

90 min cycle

Sleep cycle

Pineal gland

releases melatonin

Sleep Stages

3 stages and REM

Stage 1 (NREM)

Alpha waves, awake but drifting, hallucinations

Stage 2 (NREM)

Theta waves, sleep spindles happen

Stage 3 (NREM)

Delta waves, amp is higher, Deepest sleep

This occurs during stage 3

1) bed wetting

2) Sleep walking / talking

3) growth hormone

4) night terrors (usually in children)

REM

alpha waves, you’re asleep but your brain says you’re not, paradoxical sleep

This happens in REM sleep

1) dreams

2) everything is paralyzed except your mouth and genitals

3) sleep paralysis

Negative correlation with ______ and ________

Stage 3, REM

Throughout the cycle _____ diminishes / shortens and ______ becomes longer

stage 3 , REM

The need for sleep is ____ important the ____ you get.

less, older

REM rebound

if awakened during REM we will return faster back to REM to compensate. (skips a few stages to get back to REM)

Why Sleep

1) Refuel immune system

2) Resolve unconscious conflicts

3) Repair neural networks

4) Remember memories

Sleep Deprivation Effects

• suppresses immune system

• ages body

• causes hypertension (blood pressure)

• produces memory impairment

• causes irritability

• slows reaction time

• slows metabolism

Manifest

basic plot of the dream “story line“

Latent content

Hidden Meaning

People in your dreams represent ________

parts of yourself

Insomnia

Inability to fall asleep and stay asleep

Narcolepsy

Random episodes of REM sleep

Sleep Apnea

Stopping of breathing during sleep

Night Terrors

Specific to children waking up during Stage 3 sleep. They are in fight or flight mode

Somnambulism (Sleep walking)

Walking in your sleep. This happens during stage three

Freud’s wish-fulfillment

Dreams provide a psychic safety valve - expressing other-wise unacceptable feelings; contain manifest content and a deeper layer of latent content

Information-processing

Dreams help us sort out the day’s events and consolidate our memories

Psychological function

regular brain stimulation from REM sleep may help develop and preserve neural pathways

Activation-synthesis

REM sleep triggers impulses that evoke random visual memories, which our sleeping brain weaves into stories

Tolerance (neuroadaptation)

requiring a larger and larger dose to achieve the same initial effects

Depressants

slow down the central nervous system, GABA agonists

Stimulants

Dopamine agonists, Caffeine, Nicotine, MDMA, and Cocaine

Hallucinogens

Seratonin Agonist, MDMA, and LSD

Narcotics

Endorphine agonists, Heroin, Morphine, Opium

Drug use Bio

Genes exist that predispose people to certain addictions and to alcoholism (brain chemistry actually differs)

Drug use Psycho

• Belief that life is meaningless- no direction/goals

• Poor coping mechanisms for stress or failure (even monkeys prefer alcohol to other drinks when experiencing separation anxiety)

Drug use Social

• Single adults are more prone 

• Religious/spiritual people less prone

• Peer influence is the # 1 determinant→ we tend to overestimate our friends’ use and enthusiasm of and for drugs

Agonist

To much neurotransmitter

Antagonist

To little neurotransmitter

Dopamine

The feel good NT, causes addiction when there is to much, drugs attack its receptors

GABA

The chill-out NT, helps regulate the CNS activity and keeps the body calm

Serotonin

The moody NT, regulates sleepiness, wakefulness, and mood

Norepinephrine (serotonin sister NT)

Keeps you awake and alert

Endorphins

Body’s natural pain killer

ACh

Allows movement in muscles and joints, contributes to learning and memory