Sleep and consciousness Flashcards
states of consciousness
alertness, daydreaming, drowsiness (altered state), sleep
4 main types of brain waves
alpha- relaxed awake state ( lower frequency)
beta- normal waking consciousness (too high- anxiety, restlessness)
theta- slower than alpha- deep mediation or start of sleep
sleep
varies in brain waves
90 min cycles
4 stages
first 3 stages
N1-N3 - non-rapid eye movement
N1- theta waves (hypnogogic hallucinations - feeling of falling)
N2- slightly deeper, harder to wake up, more theta waves, sleep spindles ad k-complex
N3- delta waves ( big and long) dead to the world, sleeptalking/walking
sleep spindles
- high f, short waves
- inhibit cognitive processs, so that we stay asleep, sleep through loud noises
k-complex
function: suppress cortisol arousal- lessen or inhibit reaction to stimuli that is not dangerous when sleeping
- can induce this if you touch someone while sleeping gently, the brain processes this and creates a K-complex so as to not have a reaction
shape of k-complex
large tall wave
N3
delta waves, big and long, dead asleep
REM
paralysis, dreaming, active mind
normal night sleep
cycle through about 4-5 times, each 90 mins, but not full circle cycle- can bounce back N3–> N2
dreaming
- dream every night during REM or other stages
- 5-20 mins
- not localized any area of the brain
- during REM prefrontal cortex is decreased ( logical thinking) - this is why dreams are so weird
sleep deprivation
increased risk of obesity, overeating, and depression ( REM helps with emotional processing)
sleep apnea
stop breathing when sleep
- can happen 100x a night, prevents deep sleep , a lot of people don’t know they have it
sleepwalking, taking
more in children , more N3 sleep in children
obstructive sleep apnea
very common, soft tissues block airflow, gasping, snoring, lack of air flow, can also happen during day time, sleep is not relaxing/ not getting enough
