Sleep is a state of altered consciousness (different levels of awareness), characterized by certain patterns of brain activity.

State of awareness, including a person’s feelings, sensations, ideas, and perceptions

People who are fully aware with their attention focused on something are conscious of that “something”

A person who is not completely aware is in a different level of consciousness – altered state of consciousness (e.g., sleep)

Freud’s level of consciousness

Stages of Sleep I

II

III

IV (deepest sleep of all)

REM Sleep A stage of sleep characterized by rapid eye

movements, a high level of brain activity, a deep relaxation of the muscles, and dreaming

Known as active sleep – as if you were awake

Almost all dreaming takes place at REM sleep

Lasts 15-45 minutes

We go through this cycle every 90 minutes

At no point does your brain become inactive

• Spend 1/3 of our lives in sleep

• Newborns – 16 hours a day sleeping, ½ of it in REM sleep

• Teens – 10 to 11 hours

• Young Adults – 8 hours

• Elderly – 5 hours

Rhythm of activity and inactivity lasting approximately one day

Biological clock genetically programmed to regulate physiological responses within 24 hours

Jet Lag – takes about one day for each hour of time change to reset your circadian clock

Sleep is an active state essential for mental/physical functioning

Insomnia (mental) – failure to obtain enough sleep at night in order to feel rested/Why? – anxiety, depression, overuse of alcohol/drugs

Sleep Apnea (physical) – person has trouble breathing while asleep/flow of air to lungs actually stops/affects one in 100 Americans/usually occurs among older people

Narcolepsy – suddenly falling asleep or feeling very sleepy during the day

Nightmares – unpleasant dreams/occur during dream phase of REM sleep

Night Terrors – sleep disruptions that occur during Stage IV of sleep, involving screaming, panic, and confusion

Sleepwalking – walking or carrying out behaviors while asleep, without any memory of doing so/associated with children/may be inherited/not dangerous to wake sleepwalkers

Sleep Talking – talk in your sleep/talk as if carrying a conversation with someone

The Content of Dreams

Often we incorporate our everyday activities into our dreams

Dream Interpretation

Freud believed that no matter how simple or mundane, dreams may contain clues to thoughts the dreamer is afraid to acknowledge in his/her waking hours

Contain hidden meanings

Some researchers believe dreaming allows people a chance to review and address some of the problems they faced during the day

Removing certain, unneeded memories

Form of mental housecleaning

Daydreams

Dreaming while we are awake

Usually when we are in situations that require little attention or when we are bored

Lucid Dreaming

Hypnosis Form of altered consciousness in which people

become highly suggestible to changes in behavior and thought

Used for assistance in quitting smoking, losing weight, etc.

Does not put participant to sleep Theories of Hypnosis Uses of Hypnosis Posthypnotic Suggestion A suggestion made during hypnosis that influences the

participant’s behavior afterward

Process of learning to control bodily states with the help of specialized machines

Feedback makes learning possible

Focusing of attention to clear one’s mind and produce relaxation

Three Approaches

1. Transendental Meditation

- repetition of mantra

2. Mindfulness Meditation

- focuses on the present moment

3. Breath Meditation

- concentration on one’s respiration

- process of inhaling and exhaling

Psychoactive Drugs Interact with central nervous system to

alter a person’s mood, perception, and behavior (e.g., caffeine, alcohol, marijuana, LSD)

Chemicals that affect the nervous system and result in altered consciousness

How Drugs Work Drug molecules act like neurotransmitters

and hook onto the ends of nerve cells (neurons) and send out their own chemical messages

Marijuana

Dried leaves and flowers of Indian hemp that produce an altered state of consciousness when smoked or ingested

THC – tetrahydrocannabinol – active ingredient

Hallucinations

Perceptions that have no direct external cause

Seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, or feelings that do not exist

Portions of brain that respond to incoming stimuli become disorganized, while central nervous system is aroused

Hallucinogens

Drugs that produce hallucinations

Psychedelic – create loss of contact with reality

LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide) A potent psychedelic drug that produces

distortions of perception and thought

Trip lasts 6 to 14 hours

May have flashback experiences, even months/years after taking LSD

Opiates

Usually called narcotics

Opium, morphine, heroin

Alcohol Most widely used and abused mind-altering

substance in the United States

Depressant that serves to inhibit the brain’s normal functions

Increased drinking within specific time, ability to function diminishes

Drug Abuse and Treatment Drug abusers are people who regularly use

illegal drugs or excessively use legal drugs

Can turn into addiction