Altered Consciousness Flashcards
What is the circadian rhythm? What is it synchronized and regulated by?
- a roughly 24-hour long cycle of fluctuations in biological and psychological processes
- synchronized by environmental cues
- regulated by a cluster of nerves in the hypothalamus
What is melatonin?
a hormone which regulates alertness
When is more vs less melatonin produced? What detects light and where does it communicate info to?
- more is produced in the absence of light, less is produced in the presence of light
- photoreceptors communicate info the the hypothalamus
What are some factors that desynchronize the circadian rhythm?
- exposure to bright sun-like lights late at night
- traveling across time zones
What were the variations in brain activity during different sleep stakes identified through?
- the electroencephalogram (EEG) - measures brain electrical activity through probes on the scalp
- each stage has unique patterns of brain waves
What is the awake and alert stage of sleep characterized by?
beta brain waves (high frequency with few high peaks)
What is the awake and drowsy stage of sleep characterized by?
- alpha brain waves (lower frequency with more peaks
- hypnagogic hallucinations
What are hypnagogic hallucinations?
off but vividly realistic sensations experienced during presleep phases
What are the two main sleep stages?
- REM (Rapid eye movement sleep)
- NREM (non rapid eye movement sleep)
What are the 3 NREM sleep stages? What happens during them?
N1/ Stage 1
- very short
- disengage from sensation of world
- one can easily return back to alertness
N2/ Stage 2
- first true sleep stage
N3/ Stage 3
- deepest sleep stage
- heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing drop to lowest levels
What happens durign REM?
- brain is more active than N2 or N3 of NREM
- when most dream happen
- voluntary muscle movement is inhibited
- eyes dart back and forth (rapid eye movement)
What is sleep paralysis? What sleep stage does it occur in/ after?
- the experience of muscles still being inactive after REM
About how long does one sleep cycle take? What happens to the ratio of REM to NREM sleep with each cycle?
- about 90 minutes (N1-REM)
- 1st cyle has the most NREM and the least REM
- As cycles go on, REM increased and NREM decreases
Is there a definite explanation for why we sleep?
no
What are some evolutionary explanations of why we sleep?
sleep patterns evolved to conserve energy and prevent organism from interaction with the environment at suboptimal times
What are some important processes that occur during sleep?
- removal of metabolic waste in the brain
- support of the immune function
- learning and memory formation
- mood regulation
What can happen when one gets insufficient REM sleep?
- increased urge to sleep
- decreased concentration, vigilance, reaction time, memory, and risk assessment
- motor skills decrease
- hormone imbalance disrupted
- metabolic changes associated ith obesity and diabetes
- emotional regulation impacted and increased emotional reactions are more likely
What is REM rebound?
after nights of REM sleep deprivation, amount of REM sleep can increase (up to 50%) (same with NREM deprivtion)
What is a dream?
an unfolding sequence of thoughts, perceptions, and emotions, that typically occur during REM sleep and is experienced as a series of real-life events
When do most dreams occur? for about how long?
- most occur during REM sleep
- most adults dream for about 2 hours each night
What is sleep thinking? when does it occur?
- vague, blank, thought-like ruminations about real-life events
- occur during NREM sleep
Name two neuro-cognitive theories of dreaming.
the Activation-synthesis model and Neuro-cognitive model
Explain the Activation-synthesis dreaming theory
- dreams are brain activity in the brainstem interpreted by the cortex which generates meaning
Explain the neuro-cognitive model theory for dreams.
- dreamlike states don’t require sleep
- dreams reflect interest, personality, and personal concerns
What is hypnosis?
a cooperative social interaction in which the hypnotized person responds to the hypnotist’s suggestion with changes in perception, memory, thoughts, and behavior
What is state explanation?
hypnosis as a splitting of two dissociates streams of consciousness (one subjectively perceived and one not) (theory for hypnosis)
What is the social cognitive theory about hypnosis?
people responding to social demands of the situation (they act as they’re expected)
What are two methods of altering consciousness?
hypnosis and meditation
What is meditation?
the use of mental or physical techniques to induce a state of heightened awareness
What kind of techniques does meditation usually involve?
- focused attention techniques (ex: focus on a mantra)
- open monitoring techniques (ex: focus on the moment)
What are some physiological effects of meditation?
- reduced arousal
- decreased heart rate and blood pressure
What are some psychological effects of meditation?
- improved concentration, perceptual discrimination, and attention
- increased ability to work with information
- improved emotional control and well-being
- reduced stress
