States of Consciousness (Unit 2, Part 2)

Consciousness

subjective awareness of various cognitive processes and the environment

Wakefulness

thoughts, feelings, and perceptions that occur when we are awake and alert

Conscious state

when we are aware of information

Nonconscious state

the body processes controlled by the mind that we are not aware of (like blood pressure)

Preconscious state

when we are not currently aware of something but can be if we choose (feeling the underwear we’re wearing)

Unconscious state

when we are not normally aware of information

Altered States

differ noticeably from normal waking consciousness; includes sleep, daydreams, effects of drugs, hypnosis, and meditation

Circadian Rhythm

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

Jet Lag

a temporary sleep disorder that occurs when a person travels across multiple time zones. It is caused by a mismatch between the body's natural circadian rhythm (sleep-wake cycle) and the new time zone

Shift Work

a non-traditional work schedule where employees work outside of standard daytime hours to ensure continuous operation or to meet specific business demands; throws off a person’s circadian rhythm

Hypothalamus

the part of the brain that plays a key role in regulating the sleep cycle (regulates body temperature)

Pineal gland

gland that releases melatonin to activate the sleep cycle

Pons

the part of the brain that contains the pineal gland and controls our sleep/wake cycle

Sleep

a complex biological process that involves reduced physical and mental activity, altered consciousness, and inhibited sensory activity

Melatonin

the chemical that is produced to make you sleepy

NREM-1

stage of sleep characterized by fast brain waves; the pulse is slowing and the muscles are relaxing; may have hypnagogic sensations; lasts about 10 minutes

NREM-2

characterized by slowing brainwaves and intermittent rapid brainwaves called sleep spindles

Sleep spindles

short bursts of brain activity that occur in NREM stage 2

NREM-3

also called delta waves; is harder to waken in this stage; person doesn’t respond to light or noise; brain waves are large

Hypnagogic sensations

feelings of falling or floating weightlessly; the legs or arms may jerk

REM

the deepest stage of sleep; is characterized by rapid eye movement and very fast brain waves; body is paralyzed but looks as if awake from brain waves; stage where we dream

4-6 times

number of times we go through the sleep cucle every night

Protection, restoration, memory consolidation, feeding creative thinking, and growth support

the functions of sleep

Memory Consolidation

when our memories are consolidated and our neural connections are strengthened

Restoration

when the immune system, brain tissues, and neurons are restored

Sleep Deprivation

occurs when an individual fails to get the amount of sleep that they need; can occur due to various lifestyle, work and environmental factors; can be caused by sleep disorders and/or other medical conditions

Brain, immune system, fat cells, joints, muscles, stomach, and heart

organs and systems that sleep deprivation affects

REM rebound

when someone who is sleep deprived is able to stay in REM sleep for longer because of their sleep deprivation

Sleep Disorders

Changes in sleeping patterns or habits that can negatively affect health; can range in severity

Insomnia

ongoing difficulty in falling or remaining asleep; causes chronic tiredness; may result in use of alcohol or sleeping pills to fall asleep; can be due to stress, depression, medication, new environment, noises, or bad sleep habits

Somnambulism

doing normal waking activities while asleep; mostly occurs in NREM-3

REM Sleep Behavior Disorder

when one physically acts out vivid dreams with vocalization and sudden movements during REM sleep; often occurs during unpleasant dreams

Narcolepsy

sudden nodding off during waking hours; person goes to REM sleep; usually lasts less than 5 minutes; has to happen at least 3 times/week for over 3 months; can be treated with medicine

Sleep apnea

when someone intermittently stops breathing during sleep; at least 15 respiratory events per hour; causes exhaustion the next day; can be a comorbidity

Dream Theories

attempt to explain the nature and purpose of dreams, which are experiences of images, thoughts, and emotions during sleep

Activation-Synthesis

Dream theory that focuses solely on the psychological actions during dreams; believes that dreams are meaningless; thinks that dreams are just neurons misfiring

Consolidation Theory

Dream theory that reprocesses information from the day and helps to move short-term memories to a long-term state

Hypnosis

An induced altered state in which one is open to suggestions that may influence one’s senses, cognition, emotion, or motor movement control

Psychoactive drug

substances that affect a person's mental processes and behavior by altering the activity of the central nervous system; can be agonist or antagonist; include stimulants, depressants, opioids, and hallucinogens

Substance use disorder

When one has a dependence on a substance and can’t function properly without use of it; may develop higher tolerances and experience withdrawal

Tolerance

when one needs more of a substance over time to get the same effect

Withdrawal

Symptoms that occur when one stops taking a substance that they were reliant on

Depressants

Drugs that reduce neural activity and slow body functions; examples include alcohol and barbiturates

Opioids

Drugs that block pain receptors’ cells between the body and brain; are antagonists for endorphins; examples include heroin, morphine, oxycodone, and fentanyl

Stimulants

Drugs that excite neural activity and speed up body functions; include caffeine, nicotine, cocaine, amphetamines, methamphetamines, and ecstasy

Hallucinogens

Drugs that distort perceptions and evoke sensory images in the absence of sensory input; can have reverse rebound; include marijuana, LSD, shrooms, PCP, and peyote

Reverse rebound

When a second dose of a substance is taken while the first dose is still in one’s system and results in a compounded effect; often occurs with hallucinogens