1. States of Consciousness Chapter 7

2. Consciousness Conscious processing
- awareness of self & your surroundings
- what you pay attention to
- newer tasks & slower
- altered states (daydreaming, sleeping, hypnosis,
meditation, drug use…)
Unconscious processing
- outside awareness (sub)
- automatic
- routine tasks & faster

3. Biological Rhythms - controlled by internal “biological clocks”
Annual Cycles
birds & animals migrate and hibernate & humans
experience seasonal variations in appetite, sleep
& mood (SAD – Seasonal Affective Disorder)
28-day Cycle – female menstrual cycle
24-hour Cycle (Circadian Rhythm)
humans experience varying alertness, body temperature & growth hormone secretion
90-minute Cycle – stages of sleep

4. Circadian Rhythm – daily cycle or biological clock
Light triggers the Suprachiasmatic nucleus (in hypothalamus) to decrease melatonin
from the Pineal gland
in the morning & increase
it in the evening.
Jet lag disrupts this rhythm.

5. Why Do We Spend 1/3 Our Lives Sleeping?
Protection, Energy Conservation, Healing, Growth, Information Processing…

6. Stages of Sleep (90 minute cycle / ~4-5 each night)
Awake (beta waves) & Relaxed (alpha waves)
Stage 1
- lasts about 10 minutes
- falling asleep (theta waves = irregular – also
exhibited during daydreams)
- slowed breathing & heartbeat
- easily awakened
- hypnagogic sensations (floating,
hallucinations, twitching, etc.)

7. Stages of Sleep Stage 2 lasts about 20 minutes
sleep spindles (sigma waves = bursts of rapid brain activity)
you can still be awakened
sleep talking &
snoring are possible
* spend the largest
amount of time here

8. Stages of Sleep Stage 3 - lasts about 20-30 minutes (becomes
shorter as the night goes on)
- delta waves (long & slow) appear
- slower breathing & heart rate
- sleep walking is possible
at the end

9. Stages of Sleep
Stage 4
- lasts about 30 minutes (becomes shorter as the night
goes on)
- delta waves (long & slow)
- hard to awaken but still react to stimuli
▪ move around in bed but don’t fall out
▪ wake to certain noises
- night terrors, periods of intense fear with
physiological reaction & often no
recollection, are possible 2-3 hours in
(mostly children - scream is possible & often the hallmark)

10. * go back through the Non-REM stages in reverse and then….
REM Sleep (Rapid Eye Movement)
- lasts about 10 minutes (becomes longer as the night
goes on)
- also known as paradoxical sleep (externally calm, but
internally aroused – deepest sleep, but brain
waves are those of awake)
- beta waves (rapid, irregular heartbeat
and breathing, sexual arousal…)
- remember dreams if awakened
- REM sleep decreases with age

11. Deep sleepers get to or spend more time in Stage 4
Deep sleepers get to or spend more time in Stage 4. Light sleepers may not go all the way to Stage 4 and spend more time in Stages 1 or 2 (hereditary?).

12. Dreams - spend about 2 hours a night dreaming
- lots of theories on why (unconscious wishes, problem solving,
information processing, cognitive development, physiological
function – stimulation helps creates neural pathways…)
- 1st REM dream usually connects to daily events & the rest
usually connect to first
- 8 out of 10 dreams have a negative theme
▪ falling, chases, attacks, rejection & nudity
- manifest content (storyline/narrative) v.
latent content (symbolic/hidden? meaning)
- lucid dreams (aware that you are dreaming)

13. We don’t remember our dreams, we re-create them!
Quick Note…
Sleep scientists recently suggested that there isn’t
much difference between Stages 3 & 4. You may find
contemporary discussions or sleep charts referencing
3 stages & REM.
Some people dream in the early stages. Most
movement occurs in earlier stages, but we remember
it later & tend to associate it with our dreams.
We don’t remember our dreams, we re-create them!

14. http://www. spiritscienceandmetaphysics

15. Sleep Disorders
Insomnia – recurring problems in falling or staying asleep
• relax, avoid caffeine, exercise regularly & have a regular sleep schedule
Narcolepsy – uncontrollable sleep attacks
• 1/2000 – lapse into REM for 5 minutes or so
• due to lack of neurotransmitter Hypocretin (“numbness – seizure”)
Sleep Apnea – temporary cessations of breathing during sleep & repeated awakenings
• 1/20 – mostly overweight men (“with no breath”)
• decreased blood flow awakens sleeper (400 times or more)

16. Extra Sensory Perception (ESP)
1000’s of experiments and NO scientific evidence!

17. Hypnosis - A social interaction in which one person suggests to another that certain perceptions, feelings, thoughts, or behaviors will spontaneously occur (Anton Mesmer).
Can…
Won’t…
Cause people to be relaxed, have a narrowed focus of attention, and be highly engaged in fantasies
Work equally effectively for everyone (best for those who are have active imaginations, etc.)
Produce anesthesia (for pain) and treat a range of psychological and medical problems
Force people to do things against their will (they are suggestions)
Cause hallucinations and distortions in sensory perception
Make people act in ways that would normally be beyond their physical or mental abilities
Reduce inhibitions
Reliably increase the accuracy of memories
Cause changes in behavior after the hypnosis has ended
Allow people to actually re-experience past events or lives

18. Hypnosis is a special state of dissociated (divided) consciousness
Hypnotic subjects may simply be imaginative actors playing a social role.

19. Psychoactive Drugs - alter perception & mood Agonists (mimic) & Antagonists (block)
Researchers usually classify drugs into anywhere from four to six categories:
Stimulants
Depressants
Hallucinogens
Narcotics
Inhalants
Cannabis

20. Stimulants Drugs that stimulate the nervous system
Drug Type
Examples
Effects
Negative effects
Stimulants
Nicotine, caffeine, cocaine, amphetamines, crystal meth, Ecstasy
Increased alertness and energy, excitation, euphoria, confidence
Anxiety, restlessness, irritability, sleeplessness, paranoia, increased aggressiveness, feelings of panic
Increase the release & decrease the removal of norepinephrine & dopamine at synapse causing increased activity at the receptor. They also reduce the activity of GABA.

21. Depressants
Also called sedatives; drugs that slow down the central nervous system
Drug Type
Examples
Effects
Negative effects
Depressants
Alcohol, Valium, Xanax, barbiturates
Euphoria, relaxation, less anxiety
Impaired coordination, depression, lethargy, drowsiness, mood swings
Increase the availability of GABA which reduces the activity of many neural circuits.

22. Hallucinogens Drugs that cause sensory and perceptual distortions
Drug Type
Examples
Effects
Negative effects
Hallucinogens
LSD, PCP,
Special K (Ketamine), mushrooms (mescaline & psilocybin), Ecstasy
Euphoria, changed perception, hallucinations, insightful moments
Nausea, paranoia, anxiety, feelings of panic, mood swings, impaired judgment, jumbled thoughts

24. Narcotics
Also called opiates (depressants); drugs that can relieve pain
Drug Type
Examples
Effects
Negative effects
Narcotics
Morphine, heroin, opium, codeine, hydrocodone
Euphoria, relaxation, less anxiety, less sensitivity to pain
Lethargy, drowsiness, nausea, impaired coordination, constipation
Agonist for endorphins. Highly addictive because they stimulate Glutamate receptors and physically change the neuron – has to acquire more to function properly.

25. Inhalants Drugs that are breathed into the lungs Drug Type Examples
Effects
Negative effects
Inhalants
cleaning solutions, nail polish removers, gasoline, room fresheners, glue, and ether
Euphoria, changed perception
Impaired brain functioning

26. Cannabis
Drugs derived from the cannabis plant; have features of more than one of the other drugs types
Drug Type
Examples
Effects
Negative effects
Cannabis
(Mild Hallucinogen)
Marijuana, hashish
Euphoria, relaxation, increased awareness, changed perception
Sluggishness, anxiety, impaired memory

28. Drug-related terms Tolerance/Neuroadaptation Addiction
- with repeated exposure to a drug its effect
lessens - thus it takes greater quantities to get
the desired effect
Addiction
- a craving for a chemical
substance, despite its
adverse consequences
(physical & psychological)

29. Drug-related terms Withdrawal Dependence
- upon stopping use of a drug (after addiction),
users may experience the undesirable effects of
withdrawal
Dependence
- absence of a drug may lead to a feeling of
physical pain, intense cravings (physical
dependence) and negative emotions
(psychological dependence)