states of conciousness

NREM-1

The stage of sleep characterized by slow breathing, irregular brain waves, lack of awareness, and potential hallucinations.

NREM-2

The sleep stage that constitutes the longest period of sleep, marked by slow delta waves.

Sleep

A natural loss of consciousness.

Hallucinations

Sensory experiences that occur without an external stimulus, referred to as hypnagogic.

Hypnagogic sensation

Bizarre experiences, like feeling weightless, that occur while transitioning to NREM-1.

Alpha waves

Slow brain waves released during a state of relaxation while awake.

LSD

A powerful hallucinogenic drug also known as acid.

Near-death experience

An altered state of consciousness often described as an out-of-body experience.

THC

The active compound found in marijuana.

Theta waves

Brain waves associated with light sleep.

Delta waves

Long, slow brain waves that occur during deep sleep.

Beta waves

Brain activity associated with being awake and alert.

Sleep spindles

Bursts of brain activity that occur during NREM-2 sleep.

NREM sleep

Non-rapid eye movement sleep, encompassing all stages of sleep except REM.

Insomnia

A condition where a person has difficulties in falling asleep or staying asleep.

Narcolepsy

A condition characterized by uncontrollable sleep attacks, often leading to REM sleep.

Sleep apnea

A sleep disorder usually found in overweight individuals, marked by interrupted breathing during sleep.

Night terrors

Episodes that typically occur in children during NREM-3, where they wake up without recalling the event.

Paradoxical sleep

Another name for REM sleep, where the body is relaxed, but brain activity is high.

Dream

A sequence of images, emotions, and thoughts occurring in a sleeping person's mind, typically during REM.

Manifest content

Freud's term for the storyline of a dream.

Latent content

The underlying meaning or interpretation of a dream.

Methamphetamine

A stimulant drug that speeds up body functions and alters mood.

Ecstasy (MDMA)

A synthetic stimulant and mild hallucinogen that produces euphoria by releasing dopamine and serotonin.

Alcohol

A depressant that slows down the nervous system.

Caffeine

A stimulant found in coffee and other beverages.

Consciousness

Our awareness of ourselves and our environment.

Preconscious

Information that is not currently in conscious thought but can be easily recalled.

Unconscious

Thought processes that occur without awareness.

Circadian rhythm

The body's biological 24-hour cycle.

Infradian rhythm

Biological rhythms that occur once a month or a season, such as menstrual cycles.

Ultradian rhythm

Biological rhythms that occur more than once a day, like stages of sleep.

Suprachiasmatic Nucleus

A cluster of neurons in the hypothalamus that controls circadian rhythms.

Melatonin

A hormone associated with the sleep/wake cycle, releasing more during darkness.

Sleep Theories

Theories suggesting sleep serves purposes like energy conservation, memory repair, and growth.

REM sleep

Rapid eye movement sleep, where dreams occur; also known as paradoxical sleep.

Activation synthesis

The theory that dreams represent the brain's attempt to synthesize random neural activity.

Consolidation theory

The idea that dreams help strengthen neural traces of recent events and integrate them with old memories.

REM rebound

The phenomenon of increased REM sleep following periods of REM sleep deprivation.

Psychoactive drugs

Chemicals that change perception and mood.

Major categories of drugs

The three major categories are depressants, stimulants, and hallucinogens.

Tolerance

The condition where a person requires larger doses of a drug due to dependence.

Withdrawal

The physical and emotional distress experienced after discontinuing a drug.

Physical dependence

A physiological need for a drug accompanied by unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.

Psychological dependence

A compulsive need to use a drug to avoid negative emotional states.

Addiction

A condition characterized by a strong craving for a drug, despite harmful consequences.

Depressants

Drugs that slow down body and neural functions, such as alcohol and heroin.

Stimulants

Drugs that excite body functions and neural connections, including caffeine and cocaine.

Hallucinogens

Drugs that distort perceptions and evoke sensory images without sensory input.

Barbiturates

Drugs that depress CNS activity, reducing anxiety but impairing memory and judgment.

Opiates

Drugs that depress neural activity, temporarily relieving pain and anxiety, like morphine and heroin.

Amphetamines

Stimulants that speed up neural activity and mood, including meth.