Chapter 2: Sleep and Dreaming Definitions

Consciousness

awareness of everything going on around you and inside your head at any given moment.

Waking consciousness

thoughts, feelings, and sensations that are clear and organized

Altered state of consciousness

thoughts are fuzzy, unorganized, feel less alert

Biological rhythms 

natural cycles of activity the body must go through 

Circadian rhythms

24 hour biological cycles found in humans and other species

Adaptive theory

proposes that animals and humans evolved different sleep patterns to avoid being present during their predators normal hunting hours

Restorative Theory

states that sleep is necessary to body’s physical health

chemicals used up during the day are replenished and cell damage is repaired 

REM (rapid eye movement) sleep

active sleep where dreaming occurs

little movement (muscles are inhibited) 

NREM (non rapid eye movement sleep)

deep and restful sleep

body moves

EEG

measures brain activity

Beta wave

wave that appears when we are wide awake

mentally active

Alpha wave

seen as person relaxes, gets doozy

Theta wave 

replace alpha, slower wave

Delta wave

largest and slowest waves

Hypnotic Jerks

brief muscular contractions occurring as one falls asleep 

Hypnogogic images

vivid visual events

Insomnia

chronic problems getting adequate sleep

Sleep apnea

frequent reflexive gasping for air that awakens person and disrupts sleep 

Narcolepsy

disease marked by sudden irresistible onsets of sleeping during waking periods

-go from wakefulness to REM sleep for 10-20 minutes 

Nightmares

anxiety around dreams leading to awakening usually from REM sleep

returning to sleep is difficult

Night terrors

abrupt awakening for NREM sleep accompanied by intense autonomic arousal and feelings of panic

Somnambulism 

occurs when person arises and wanders about while sleeping

Somniloquy

involves unconscious talking during sleep

day residue

Sigmund Freud’s theory that what people dream about is affected by what is going on in their lives.

the “spillover” between waking events and dreams