sleep/drugs (consciousness)

depressants/sedatives:

slow down CNS activity, induce sleep, decrease activity

stimulants/amphetamines

drugs that stimulate or speed up the central nervous system

opiates

opium and its derivatives, such as morphine and heroin; they depress neural activity, temporarily lessening pain and anxiety

heroin

narcotic drug derived from opium that is extremely addictive

marijuana

a drug, often smoked, whose effects include euphoria, impairment of judgment and concentration and occasionally hallucinations; rarely reported as addictive

alcohol

Depressant

NREM sleep

non-rapid eye movement sleep; encompasses all sleep stages except for REM sleep

REM sleep

the stage of sleep marked by rapid eye movements, dreaming, and paralysis of motor systems

suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN)

a pair of cell clusters in the hypothalamus that controls circadian rhythm. In response to light, the SCN causes the pineal gland to adjust melatonin production, thus modifying our feelings of sleepiness

melatonin

sleep-inducing hormone

circadian rhythm

the biological clock; regular bodily rhythms (for example, of temperature and wakefulness) that occur on a 24-hour cycle

consciousness

our awareness of ourselves and our environment