States of

Consciousness
Chapter 4

Presentation by Begimai Isabekova

 Consciousness

Consciousness describes our awareness of

internal and external stimuli.
Awareness of internal stimuli - feeling pain,
hunger, thirst, sleepiness, and being aware of
thoughts and emotions.
Awareness of external stimuli - seeing the light
from the sun, feeling the warmth of a room, and
hearing the voice of a friend.
Table of Contents
1. States of consciousness with a particular
emphasis on sleep
2. The different stages of sleep
3. Sleep disorders
4. Altered states of consciousness produced by
psychoactive drugs, hypnosis, and meditation.
 States of Consciousness

Sleep - low levels of physical activity and reduced sensory

awareness.
Wakefulness - high levels of sensory awareness, thought,
and behavior.
Altered states of consciousness (daydreaming,
intoxication, meditative states, hypnotic states)
Biological rhytms
1. Circadian rhytms
a. Brain's clock mechanism (an area of the
hypothalamus - the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN)).
2. Problems with circadian rhytms (melatonin release in
the pineal gland)
a. Disruptions of Normal Sleep - jet lag, insomnia,
rotating shift work
b. Insufficient Sleep - sleep debt and sleep deprivation
 What is sleep and why do we sleep?
Sleep - interplay of the circadian and homeostatic
mechanisms.
Homeostatic regulation of sleep is evidenced by sleep
rebound.

WHY DO WE SLEEP?
Adaptive function
Cognitive function
Stages of sleep
2 different general phases:
Rapid eye movement (REM)
darting movements of the eyes under closed eyelids
brain waves are very similar to brain waves during
wakefulness.
N o n - R E M ( N R E M ) s le e p - 4 s t a g e s
The first four stages of sleep are NREM sleep, while the fifth
and final stage of sleep is REM sleep.
 Sleep Problems and Disorders
30-50% of the population suffers from a sleep disorder
at some point in their lives.
Insomnia
Parasomnias
Sleep-walking, or somnambulism - 1997, Scott Falater
REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD)
Restless leg syndrome, night terrors
Sleep apnea: obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep
apnea
Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
infants younger than 12 months at the highest risk
Narcolepsy
Altered States of Consciousness
Substance use disorders
physical dependence
psychological dependence
tolerance
drug withdrawal
Alcohol and Other Depressants
Stimulants
cocaine, amphetamines, cathinones, MDMA (ecstasy),
nicotine, and caffeine)
Opioids
heroin, morphine, methadone, and codeine
Hallucinogens
 Other States of Consciousness
1. HYPNOSIS
a. Hypnosis is a state of extreme self-focus and attention
in which minimal attention is given to external stimuli.
b. How does hypnosis work? Two theories
2. MEDITATION
a. Meditation is the act of focusing on a single target
(such as the breath or a repeated sound) to increase
awareness of the moment.
b. A meditative state, as shown by EEG recordings of
newly-practicing meditators, is not an altered state of
consciousness; however, patterns of brain waves may
represent a unique state of consciousness
Thank you for attention!