AP Psyche Unit 4 States of Consciousness

Circadian Rhythm

Biological 24-hour clock creating regular bodily rhythms (ex. Temperature or awakeness)

REM Sleep

Rapid Eye Movement Sleep; recurring sleep stage where vivid dreams commonly occur; also known as paradoxical sleep because muscles are mostly relaxed but other body systems are active

Alpha Waves

Relatively slow brain waves of a relaxed, awake state

90 Minutes

Average length of sleep cycle for young adults

NREM Sleep

Non-rapid Eye Movement sleep; encompasses all sleep stages but REM

Hypnagogic Sensations

Bizarre experiences while transitioning to sleep like jerking or feeling of falling/floating

Sleep Spindles

Bursts of rapid, rhythmic brain-activity during NREM-2

Delta Waves

The large, slow brain waves associated with deep sleep of NREM-3

Suprachiasmatic Nucleus (SCN)

Pair of cell clusters in the hypothalamus controlling circadian rhythm; Causes pineal gland to adjust melatonin production in response to light, modifying our feelings of sleepiness

Protection Theory

Sleep theory that believes that sleep developed as an evolutionary advantage ancestors that slept were more likely to survive than those wandering dangerous forests and cliffs at night

Restoration Theory

Sleep theory that sleep helps restore the immune system, repair body tissue, and clean up brain

Memory Consolidation Theory

Sleep theory that sleep helps improve memory by replaying and strengthening neural connections and moving day’s memories from hippocampus to permanent storage in the cortex

Creative Thinking Theory

Sleep theory that sleep improves creative thinking problem-solving

Growth Theory

Sleep theory that sleep supports growth as the pituitary gland releases growth hormones during deep sleep

NREM-1

Brief sleep stage where one slips into sleep; involves hypnagogic sensations, hallucinations, and alpha waves

NREM-2

Light sleeping stage lasting around 20 minutes where one is easily awakened; includes sleep spindles

NREM-3

Deep sleep stage lasting around 30 minutes where one is hard to waken; includes delta waves

NREM-1, NREM-2, NREM-3, REM

Sleep cycle stage order

similar; heart rate; eye movement; breathing

During REM brain waves are active ___ to NREM but ___, ___, and ___ increases

shorter; more frequent

As you get older, sleep cycles are ___ and ___ for older adults

NREM-3; REM; NREM-2

As night goes on ____ sleep gets shorter/disappears and ___ and ___ sleep periods get longer

• less focus and processing of stored memories

• increased risk of depression, decreased metabolic rate, increased cortisol

• enhanced limbic system response at sight of food

• decreased cortical responses allowing resistance to temptation

Sleep deprivation effect on the brain

Decreased production of immune cells and increased risk of viral infection

Sleep deprivation effect on the Immune system

increased production; greater risk of obesity

Sleep deprivation effect on fat cells

increased inflammation and arthritis

Sleep deprivation effect on joints

Increased risk of blood pressure being heigh

Sleep deprivation effect on the Heart

Increased ghrelin, decreased leptin

Sleep deprivation effect on the Stomach

Reduced strength, slower reaction time and motor learning

Sleep deprivation effect on muscles

Ghrelin

Hunger-arousing hormone

Leptin

Hunger-supressing hormone

Insomnia

Sleep disorder occurring in 1/10 adults, more common with age causing recurring problems falling/staying asleep which worsens if you worry about it and can be aggravated by or cause a tolerance for sleeping pills or alcohol

Narcolepsy

Sleep disorder occurring in 1/2000 adults causing uncontrollable sleep attacks, often triggered by strong emotions, leading to lapses into REM sleep, often at inopportune time; can be treated with medication and sleep regimine

Sleep Apnea

Sleep disorder occurring in 1/20 adults characterized by temporarily not breathing during sleep and repeated momentary awakenings; decreased oxygen deprives slow-wave sleep and can increase likelihood of depression, obesity, stroke risk, fatigue, or heart attack; treated with an air pump that keeps airway open

Night Terrors

Sleep disorder mostly targeting children associated with high arousal and appearance of being terrified; occurs during NREM-3 sleep within 2-3 hrs of falling asleep

Early morning REM Sleep

Nightmares usually occur ___

NREM-3; any sleep stage

Sleep walking occurs during ___ while sleep talking occurs __

Negative

Most dreams contain a ___ event or emotion

Less common; especially in women

Sexual imagery in dreams are ___

Freud’s Wish Fulfillment Theory

Dreams are unconscious mind’s symbolic way of satisfying unacceptable, repressed desires, urges, or conflicts that cannot be expressed in waking life due to social rules or moral taboos

Manifest Content

Freud’s idea that dreams have a symbolic, remembered story line

Latent content

Freud’s idea of underlying meaning of a dream

Symbolism can be interpreted many ways, dreams aren’t necessarily always symbolic, and lacks scientific support

Criticism of Freud’s Wish Fulfillment Theory

Information-processing Dream Theory

Dreaming helps the brain sort, sift, and fix the day’s experiences and memories into long-term storage; links REM sleep to memory

Doesn’t explain dreams about things we haven’t experienced yet and doesn’t address why REM sleep triggers vivid imagery

Criticism of Information-processing dream theory