Consciousness
Four Levels:
Conscious- inside
Unconscious- outside, difficult to be aware
Preconscious- outside, can be brought back
Nonconcious- outside, cannot be aware
Circadian Rhythm
biological clock", 24 hour cycle
Can be altered by artificial light.
Microsleep
sleep attack
EEG
electroencephalogram
measures brain activity
EOG
electroculogram
measures eye movement
EMG
electromyogram
measures muscle activity
Hypnic Myoclonia
sense of falling that happens in the first stage of sleep
REM
vivid, illogical, more emotional, more negative frame of mind (amygdala)
NREM
more mundane, "normal" dream topics, more positive frame of mind
Stages of Sleep
Five Stages:
1: hypnotic myoclonia, theta waves
2: half of sleep cycle, K-Complex
3: difficult to wake, delta waves (10-50%)
4: difficult to wake, delta waves (50% or more)REM: Dreams, Rapid Eye Movement, waves as if awake
Delta Waves
slow brain waves
Stage 3: 10%-50%
Stage 4: 50%-100%
Sleep Spindles
Occasional bursts of rapid waves in Stage 2 of sleep
Narcolepsy Causes
Possibly genes, inability to produce hypocretin
Narcolepsy Symptoms
hallucinations, cataplexy, daytime sleepiness, sleep paralysis
Narcolepsy Treatment
No cure, medication, lifestyle changes
Cataplexy
Muscle weakness, tied to emotions
Sleep Paralysis
Not being able to move your body, during REM sleep
Insomnia Causes
Emotional of physical comfort, stress, jet lag, noise, meditation, temperatures
Insomnia Symptoms
difficulty falling asleep, waking up frequently during the night, waking up too early
Insomnia Treatment
behavioral modification, good sleep hygiene, light therapy
Sleep Apnea Causes
Collapse of upper airway during sleep
Sleep Apnea Symptoms
breathing pauses" that occurs from 20 to 30 times per hour, can last from 10 seconds to 2 minutes
Sleep Apnea Treatment
CPAP, surgical procedures, behavior modification
Night Terrors Causes
over-arousal of the central nervous system
Night Terrors Symptoms
Overtired, ill, stressed, taking a new medication, sleeping in a new environment, screams during sleep
Night Terrors Treatment
Reduces stress, get enough rest, establish and stick to a bedroom routine
Sleepwalking Causes
genes
Sleepwalking Symptoms
walking and moving during sleep
Sleepwalking Treatment
Consult a specialist, maximize safety, unwind before bed, get enough rest
REM Behavior Disorder Causes
Possibly genes
REM Behavior Disorder Symptoms
Act out some dreams
REM Behavior Disorder Treatment
medication, safe sleeping environment, pharmacological treatment
Restless Legs Causes
disagreeable leg sensations
Restless Legs Symptoms
Urge to move legs
Restless Legs Treatment
exercise, leg massages, eliminating alcohol and caffeine from diet
Bruxism Causes
excessive stress, certain personality types, nervous tension
Bruxism Symptoms
grinding of teeth, facial pain, headaches, tongue indentations, damage of inside of cheek
Bruxism Treatment
Behavior modification, mouth guard, biofeedback
How long is the typical sleep cycle?
90 minutes
How do people typically go through the sleep stages during a normal sleep cycle when they first fall asleep?
Stage 1-4, then 4-1, then REM, then repeat (bounces)
How does this pattern change as the night goes on?
REM sleep extends
Which stage is the deepest stage of sleep?
Stage 4
What are the characteristics of REM sleep?
Dreams, eyes move rapidly, muscles paralyzed, brain waves as if awake
How does stage 3 differ from stage 4?
Stage 3 has less delta waves than Stage 4
How do nightmares differ from night terrors?
Victims of night terrors, usually don't remember their dreams and they scream while they dream
If a person is awakened every time they begin to enter the REM stage of sleep, how will their sleeping pattern change the next time they are able to sleep uninterrupted?
They will immediately enter REM sleep.
Does the activity of the amygdala increase or decrease when a person is in REM sleep?
increase
Which sleeping disorder occurs more in children rather than adults?
night terrors
How much sleep, on average, do teenagers need a night?
9 and a quarter hours of sleep
What brain structure creates neutral messages that lead us to experience dreams?
brain stem
What brain structure is highly active during REM sleep, causing us to experience strong emotions during dreams?
Amygdala
How do transient insomnia and chronic insomnia differ?
Transient lasts up to a week and chronic can last forever
Sleep Debt
A sleep deficiency caused by not getting the amount of sleep that one requires for optimal functioning
K complexes
Occur during stage 2, these are a single low frequency, high amplitude brain wave, that appear on EEG readings
REM rebound
the tendency for REM sleep to increase following REM sleep deprivation (created by repeated awakenings during REM sleep)
Hypocretin
an alerting neurotransmitter that stimulates wakefulness
Latent Content of Dreams
According to Freud, the "disguised" meanings of dreams, hidden by more obvious subjects
Manifest Content of Dreams
according to Freud, the apparent story line of dreams
Wish Fulfillment Theory
Sigmund Freud: All dreams symbolize gaining or achieving something that you want
Activation-Synthesis Theory
J. Allan Hobson: All dreams are a side effect of stimulated pieces of the limbic system. Dreams are just random.
Continual- Activation Theory
Jie Zhang: All dreams are actually short term memories being transferred to long term storage
Reverse-Learning Theory
All dreams have no meaning in themselves, but function to rid us of unnecessary info that we have accumulated during the day
Learning Consolidation Theory
All dreams are created to remember what we learned
Playing-Dead Theory
All dreams are a defense mechanism, which is total immobility
Threat-Simulation Theory
Antti Revonusuo: All dreams prepare us for threatening situations so we will know how to deal with them when they happen in real life
Problem-Solving Theory
Deirdre Barrett: All dreams give you the chance to problem solve
Oneiric Darwinism
Mark Blechner: All dreams are natural selection for ideas/helps us figure out the best way to react emotionally
Contemporary Theory of Dreaming
Ernest Hartmann: All dreams are an evolutionary mechanism by getting rid of negative feelings by presenting them in dreams