3- Consciousness & Sleep

Question 1

EEG

Answer 1

electroencephalography
-brain waves

-when awake- BETA consciousness stage- high frequency, alert

• start to doze off, meditate, relax- ALPHA wave consciousness- slower, awake but relaxed / eyes closed
• associated w/ AUDITORY HALLUCINATIONS
• while falling asleep, and waking up- sleep paralysis- mind awake, body asleep

THETA- irregular waveforms, slower freq, higher voltage
-stage 1 of sleep
-stage 2 = theta + sleep spindles & K complexes in
(fast zigzags vs sharp up then down)

DELTA- really deep- slow wave- stage 3 or 4 of sleep

REM sleep- you dream- rapid eye movements
NREM = non-REM = stages 1-4
(Stages 1-4 then REM = one sleep cycle)

REM is closer to awakening than deep sleep

-a short nap is refreshing bc you do reach deep sleep

Adult sleep cycle- 90 mins, shorter for kids (50 min) = kids need more sleep

Sleep deprivation = diminished memory & cognition
-hallucinations, then go crazy- can’t think rationally

Question 2

Circadian Rhythms

Answer 2

• during day, periods of wakefulness, then sleepy at night, then sleep
• based on sun; 24 hour cycle
• depression, seasonal affective disorder

Question 3

Dreaming

Answer 3

-most in REM

Theories

1) activation-synthesis
- when you sleep, neurons randomly fire and your brain interprets that as a dream

2) problem solving

3) cognitive process idea
- visual and auditory manifestation of normal stream of consciousness- thought after thought after thought (like spreading activation) but no longer confined to reality/does this make sense

Question 4

Sleep disorders

Answer 4

-sleep paralysis

• dyssomnia= sleep dysfunctions
• —insomnia = can’t sleep; narcolepsy = always sleepy
• sleep apnea- hard to breathe when sleep
• —-can be physiological/sleeping position, esp in overweight people, or psychological, where medulla stops signaling to breathe
• parasomnias- abnormal sleep
• —-night terrors- vivid nightmares, thrash around in bed etc.
• —-sleepwalking = somnambulism

-sleep deprivation- sleep debt; REM rebound; when you haven’t sleep for a while, your body goes straight to REM

Question 5

Subliminal messages; Hypnosis

Answer 5

• can influence mood/prime, not affect behavior
• below threshold of conscious perception, may fire tho

—-same w/ hypnosis

• for a non-skeptical, you can put them into a more relaxed state/ help them meditate, guide them through pain reduction, reduction of urges (help to curb addictions)
• can’t make someone remember something repressed; often false memories
• alpha wave- relaxed state

—-also in meditation; help clear mind, concentrate, mindful, concentrate on self

-one way to change consciousness is meditation; other is drugs