Consciousness and the two track mind lecture

Question 1

Who is Eugene Aserinsky?

Answer 1

In 1953 he discovered the rhythm to the sleep cycle now called the “Stages of Sleep”

Question 2

Stage 1 also called NREM-1

Answer 2

• Avg. 2 minutes
• Breathing slows, deepens
• Brain waves begin to slow and show irregularity
• May experience fantastic images and/or sudden sensation of falling
• Images are not dreams because they have no plot

Question 3

Stage 2 (NREM-2)

Answer 3

• Avg. 20 minutes
• Easily awakened, but now fully asleep
• Brain waves show sudden burst of electrocortical activity called “Sleep Spindles”
• Sleep talking most likely to occur here

Question 4

Stage 3 & 4

Answer 4

• Avg. 30 minutes
• Stage 3 is a “Transitional Stage” to stage 4
• Large, slow Delta waves appear
• Difficult to awaken, but can process information
• Sleep walking & bed wetting occur here (these decrease as we age because we spend less and less time in Stage 4)

Question 5

REM (Rapid Eye Movement)

Answer 5

• Avg. 40-50 minutes
• Also called “paradoxical sleep” because heart rate, respiration, brain activity all increase
• Cannot learn unless you go through REM cycle
• Total paralysis, except eyes and genitals
• Dreams occur here for everyone, although you may only remember them if awakened during this stage