1. Ch. 4: States of Consciousness

2. Altered States of Consciousness
Waking Consciousness
Thoughts, feelings, and perceptions that occur when we are awake and alert
Altered States of Consciousness
A mental state that differs noticeably from normal waking consciousness, including sleep, dreaming, meditation, or drug-induced states

3. Explaining Waking Consciousness
Stream of information resulting from the activity of the thalamus--which analyzes and interprets information
Consciousness may only be the “tip of the iceberg” that includes unconscious mental activities
Consciousness is also viewed as an adaptation allowing us to get along with others in our group (humans)

4. Daydreaming and Fantasy
Spontaneous shifts if attention away from the here and now into a make-believe world
Urge to daydream peaks about every 90 min.
Daydreams may provide stress relief and encourage creativity

5. Circadian Cycles: The Biological Clock
Circadian cycles are those that last “about a day”
Circadian rhythms are governed by an area of the hypothalamus called the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN)
Controls body temperature, metabolism, blood pressure, hormone levels and hunger
Jet lag is the result of desynchronization of the circadian rhythm

6. The Rhythms of Sleep Brain waves and sleep stages Stage 1 Stage 2
REM sleep

7. REM called paradoxical sleep
REM Sleep
“Rapid Eye Movement”
REM called paradoxical sleep
Brain waves similar to waking state, but person is deeply asleep and unable to move
Most dreaming takes place during REM

8. Sleep Patterns Across the Life Span

9. Changes In REM and NREM

10. Sleep Disorders Sleeptalking and Sleepwalking Night terrors
Usually occurs during Stage 4 sleep
More common in children
Sleepwalking more common in boys
Night terrors
Episodes of fright that occur during stages 3 or 4 of NREM sleep
Person may sit up or scream, but likely will not recall the episode in the morning

11. Sleep Disorders Insomnia Difficulty falling asleep or remaining asleep
Affects ~ 35 million Americans
May be related to stress, depression, medication
Can also be caused by noise, temperature, or trying to sleep in a new environment

12. Apnea Sleep Disorders Person stops breathing momentarily during sleep
Affects ~ million Americans

13. Sleep Disorders Narcolepsy
Suddenly falling asleep without warning during waking hours
Narcoleptics often experience loss of muscle tone as well
May also drop into REM sleep immediately, causing hallucinations
Likely caused by a central nervous system defect

14. Dreams as unconscious wishes
Why Do We Dream?
Dreams as unconscious wishes
Freud thought dreams were the “royal road to the unconscious”
Manifest content
What the dreamer remembers about the dream
Latent content
The hidden, unconscious meaning of the dream

15. Why Do We Dream? Dreams and information processing
Information gathered during the day is reprocessed to strengthen memory
Dreams and neural activity
Activation-synthesis hypothesis
Random outbursts of nerve-cell activity are interpreted as stories by higher brain centers
Dreams and waking life
Extension of concerns in daily life

17. Sleep & Aging
The older we get, the more likely it is that we will suffer from some kind of sleep disorder.
> 50 % of people over 64 years old suffer from some type of sleep disorder.
While the hormonal and physical changes that occur as we age will likely affect sleep, especially in menopausal women, the increased presence of other medical conditions and disorders is also a factor that tends to upset the sleep of the elderly.

18. Menachem Begin, Former Israeli prime minister (1977-83)
SLEEP DEPRIVATION
Menachem Begin, Former Israeli prime minister ( )
Mr. Begin described his sleep deprivation experience, while being held captive by the Russian KGB:
"In the head of the interrogated prisoner, a haze begins to form. His spirit is wearied to death, his legs are unsteady, and he has one sole desire: to sleep... Anyone who has experienced this desire knows that not even hunger and thirst are comparable with it."

19. SLEEP DEPRIVATION: Effects
Without adequate rest, the brain's ability to function quickly deteriorates.
Concentration levels drop Memory impaired Problem solving greatly impaired Decision-making abilities compromised Brain falls into rigid thought patterns Hallucinations Depression Heart disease Hypertension Irritability Slower reaction times Slurred speech Tremors

20. SLEEP DEPRIVATION: Causes
Causes of sleep deprivation can be divided into four broad areas:
lifestyle
health complications
medication side effects
clinical disorders
Caffeine &/or alcohol before bedtime is among the most common causes of sleep deprivation.

21. SLEEP DEPRIVATION: Causes
Weight Changes
Dramatic weight changes, especially weight gain, are also common effects of sleep deprivation
Because the amount and quality of the sleep we get affects our hormone levels, namely our levels of leptin and ghrelin

22. SLEEP DEPRIVATION: Effects
Sleep & Aging
The older we get, the more likely it is that we will suffer from some kind of sleep disorder.
Over 50 percent of people over 64 years old suffer from some type of sleep disorder.
Hormonal and physical changes that occur as we age will likely affect sleep, especially in menopausal women.

23. MENOPAUSE
Menopause is the time in a woman's life when the function of the ovaries ceases
The ovaries are the main source of female hormones
The average age of menopause onset is 51 years old.
Symptoms, including fatigue, memory problems, irritability, and rapid changes in mood
Hot flashes & night sweats

24. SLEEP DEPRIVATION & Sports Performance
Some recent studies have found that that sleep deprivation can slow glucose metabolism by as much as 30 to 40%.
Eve Van Cauter, Ph.D., from the University of Chicago Medical School, studied the effects of three different durations of sleep in 11 men ages 18 to 27.

25. SLEEP DEPRIVATION & Sports Performance
For the first three nights of the study, the men slept eight hours per night;
For the next six nights, they slept four hours per night;
For the last seven nights, they slept 12 hours per night.

26. SLEEP DEPRIVATION & Sports Performance
Results showed that after four hours of sleep per night (the sleep deprivation period), they metabolized glucose least efficiently.
Levels of cortisol (a stress hormone) were also higher during sleep deprivation periods, which has been linked to memory impairment, age-related insulin resistance, and impaired recovery in athletes.

27. Meditation and Hypnosis
Techniques which improve the ability to focus and relax
Suppresses activity of the sympathetic nervous system

28. Meditation and Hypnosis
Trancelike state in which people can respond more easily to suggestion
Hypnosis has been used in conjunction with psychotherapy and as an anesthetic in dentistry and surgery