Consciousness Flashcards
states of consciousness
alertness, sleep, and altered states of consciousness
Alterness
is the state of being awake and able to think, perceive, process, and express info. beta and alpha waves predominate on EEG
sleep
important for health of the brain and body
stages and waves
- stage 1 is light sleep and is dominated by theta waves on EEG.
- stage 2 is slightly deeper and includes theta waves, sleep spindles, and K complexes
- stages 3 and 4 are deep (slow-wave) sleep (SWS) Delta waves predominate on EEG (most sleep disorders occur during stage 3 and 4 non-rapid eye movement [NREM] sleep. dreaming in SWS focuses on consolidating declarative memories
REM
rapid eye movement sleep is sometimes called paradoxical sleep: the mind appears close to awake on EEG, but the person is asleep. the movements and body paralysis occur in this stage. Dreaming in REM focuses on consolidating procedural memories
the sleep cycle
last approx 90 min for adults; the normal cycle is stage 1-2-3-4-3-2-REM, although REM becomes more frequent during the morning
Circadian rhythms
these normally trend around a 24-hour day. changes in light in the evening trigger release of melatonin by the pineal gland, resulting in sleepiness. Cortisol levels increase in the early morning and help promote wakefulness
sleep disorders
these include dyssomnias, such as insomnia, narcolepsy, sleep apnea, and sleep deprivation; and parasomnia, such as night terrors and sleepwalking
hypnosis
is a state of consciousness in which individuals appear to be in control of their normal faculties but are in a highly suggestible state. hyponisis is often used for pain control, psychological therapy, memory enhancement, weight loss, and smoking cessation.
meditation
involves a quieting of the mind and is often used for relief of anxiety.
