“Out of the human brain arises consciousness and the mind – the unique of Homo sapiens, ‘thinking man,’ to be aware of

being aware.” (National Geographic Your Brain, 2013)

Chapter 5: Consciousness

Consciousness Objectives • To identify different types of consciousness as

we use them in our own lives

• To identify the purposes for sleep

• To analyze our sleep habits

• To examine dream theories

• To explore sleep disorders and treatments

THE STUDY OF CONSCIOUSNESS

Section 1

Fact or Fiction?

• Much of our everyday thinking, feeling, and acting operates outside our conscious awareness.

• Allowed to sleep uninterrupted, most adults will sleep at least nine hours per night.

• Sleeping pills are the most effective treatment for insomnia.

• People who sleep seven to eight hours a night tend to outlive.

• Under hypnosis, people may be induced to perform an act they believe is immoral.

What does it mean to be conscious?

• Consciousness is awareness of things both inside and outside of ourselves, such as external events, internal sensations, awareness of self as a unique being, and your thought processes.

• Consciousness cannot be seen, touched, heard, or measured directly.

• BUT you can measure its effects on behavior!

Types of Consciousness

• Sensory Awareness: attentive to what is occurring outside yourself

• Selective Attention: focusing on a particular stimulus; in other words, directing our sensory awareness toward a particular outer stimulus

Types of Consciousness

• Direct Inner Awareness: being attentive to things inside yourself; responding to your thoughts, images, emotions, or memories WITHOUT outer stimuli such as touch or smell.

• Sense of Self- the awareness of ourselves and our existence

“Before” Consciousness:

• QUIETLY, reflect on your level of consciousness right now. On your paper, write words or draw pictures that describe your current state of awareness. Are you: Sleepy? Energetic? Relaxed? Tense?

• What type(s) of consciousness do you think you are using right now?

• Rate how relaxed you feel from 1-10 with 10 being extremely relaxed.

Deep Relaxation Meditation

Other Meditations

• Short Stress Relief Meditation

• 20 Minute Stress Relief Meditation

• Peaceful Sleep Meditation

Several free meditations are available on iTunes as well. Enjoy!

“After” Consciousness • On your sheet of paper, QUIETLY, reflect

on your level of consciousness right now. On your paper, write words or draw pictures that describe your current state of awareness. Are you: Sleepy? Energetic? Relaxed? Tense?

• What type(s) of consciousness do you think you are using right now?

• Rate how relaxed you feel from 1-10 with 10 being extremely relaxed.

• What is different? Why?

Critical Thinking Question

• Do you think a person can study or understand the consciousness of another person? Why or why not?

• Give specific reasons to support your answer.

Consciousness Objectives Our Objectives:

• To identify different types of consciousness as we use them in our own lives

• To identify the purposes for sleep

• To analyze our sleep habits

• To examine dream theories

• To explore sleep disorders and treatments

SLEEP AND DREAMS

Section 2

Consciousness Objectives Our Objectives:

• To identify different types of consciousness as we use them in our own lives

• To identify the purposes for sleep

• To analyze our sleep habits

• To examine dream theories

• To explore sleep disorders and treatments

Interesting Sleep Facts

• You spend approximately 1/3 of your life sleeping.

• Teens need approximately 8-9 hours of sleep per night to perform at their optimal levels. Most teens get seven hours or less of sleep.

• Our natural wake-sleep cycle is 25 hours rather than 24, but we are on a 24 hour cycle because of the sunrise and sunset, clocks, etc.

• According to a recent British study, our sleep positions are determined by our personalities.

What are circadian rhythms?

• Have you ever heard of biological clocks?

• Well, that’s another name for circadian rhythms.

• In humans, these rhythms include body temperature, blood pressure, and sleepiness and wakefulness. They occur every 24 hours.

The Stages of Sleep

• Sleep stages are measured in terms of brain-wave patterns, measured by an electroencephalography (EEG).

• We typically cycle through all the stages of sleep at least four or five times per night.

• Refer to p. 107 for a diagram of “The Stages of Sleep” from an EEG.

EEGs measure sleep and wake cycles.

EEGs measure the following brain waves:

Beta = normal waking thought, alert problem solving

Alpha = deep relaxation, meditation

Theta = light sleep

Delta = deep sleep

Frequency of waves (how many cycles per second) ranges from less than 4 (delta) to 24 (beta). Higher frequencies mean you are more alert!

The Stages of Sleep

• There are five distinct sleep stages. It generally takes 25 minutes to ENTER stage 1 sleep.

• Stage 1 is very light sleep that lasts only 1-7 minutes. You may dream vividly. If you are awakened, you may feel as you haven’t slept.

• Stage 2 is also light and lasts from 10-25 minutes. It transitions you into deeper sleep.

The Stages of Sleep Click to access quiz.

• Stages 3 and 4 are deep sleep that lasts for about 30 minutes each. Stage 4 is the deepest stage, thus it is the hardest stage to wake up. (Also referred to as slow-wave sleep, because of the prominent delta waves in these stages.)

• Stage 5 sleep is rapid-eye movement (REM) sleep. Our eyes move rapidly even though they are closed.

• We dream more VIVIDLY in REM sleep. If you miss REM sleep, you will learn more slowly than usual.

Why do we need sleep?

• To revive the tired body

• To build up resistance to infection

• To help us recover from stress

• To help you learn more effectively

• To make better decisions

• To prevent obesity and other health issues

• To increase productivity

Interesting Dream Facts

• Dreams can be black and white or full color.

• We typically dream in real-time.

• REM sleep dreams are more realistic.

• By the time we are thirty, we’ve spent approximately two years worth of our life dreaming.

• Most dreams are ordinary and occur in ordinary places. Many are negative.

Dream Theories

• Click here for an audio presentation.

• Freudian View – Freud believed that dreams are “wish-fulfillments.” We dream what our heart wants, even if it is unacceptable to society. He believed dreams contain hidden meanings.

• The Biopsychological Approach - Dreams begin with biological activity. The brain continues to be active, so the brain tries to weave a story (the dream). It is also called activation synthesis.

• The biopsychological approach explains why people tend to dream about events that took place earlier in the day.

What are Dreams?

From PBS Online: What are dreams and why do we have them? NOVA joins leading dream researchers as they embark on a variety of neurological and psychological experiments to investigate the world of sleep and dreams. Delving deep into the thoughts and brains of a variety of dreamers, scientists are asking important questions about the purpose of this mysterious realm we escape to at night.

As you enter the room:

• Make sure your desk is clear except for a sheet of paper, your study guide, and a writing utensil.

• Put backpacks, etc. under your chair, not your desk. They need to be out of your way.

• Pay attention for further instructions.

Sleep Disorders

For more information on sleep disorders, go to

Sleep Disorders Health Center

Consciousness Objectives • State Standard: 6.2 understand psychological

concepts, methods and theories in analyzing how humans think, learn, feel and behave.

Our Objectives:

• To identify different types of consciousness as we use them in our own lives

• To identify the purposes for sleep

• To analyze our sleep habits

• To examine dream theories

• To explore sleep disorders and treatments

Sleep Problems: Insomnia

• Insomnia is the inability to sleep.

• The most common type is difficulty falling asleep.

• People with insomnia are more likely to worry and have “racing minds.” They make it worse by TRYING to sleep.

• Insomnia often comes and goes based on the person’s stress levels.

• Psychologists do not recommend sleeping pills to cure insomnia.

Sleep Problems: Insomnia Psychologists recommend several ways to avoid

insomnia:

• Tense the muscles, one at a time, and let go.

• Avoid worrying. If it persists, get up.

• Establish a regular sleep routine.

• Use pleasant images or daydreams to relax.

• Do something relaxing.

• Do not exercise in the last two hours before bed.

• Do not drink caffeine after 4 P.M.

• Cognitive behavior therapy may help serious sleep problems.

Sleep Problems: Nightmares

• Common nightmares involve snakes or murderers.

• Nightmares generally occur in REM sleep.

• Upsetting events, anxiety, or depression can produce them.

• In the Middle Ages, people thought that nightmares were the work of demons sent to make people pay for their sins.

Sleep Problems: Night Terrors

• Night terrors are also called sleep terrors.

• They are more severe than nightmares.

• Dreamers feel their hearts racing and gasp for air. They may suddenly sit up, talk incoherently, or thrash about.

• They tend to occur during the deep sleep stages.

• They are most common among young children, ages three to eight.

Sleep Problems: Sleepwalking

• Sleepwalkers walk in their sleep.

• They may roam almost nightly during the stages of deep sleep.

• They may actually respond to you but will not remember it.

• They need to be supervised for their own protection.

• They will not be violent if they are awakened.

Sleep Problems: Sleep Talking

• Sleep talkers talk in their sleep.

• They usually do not realize they talk in their sleep.

• They may actually respond to you but will not remember it. You can even engage them in a conversation!

• They will not be violent if they are awakened.

Sleep Problems: Sleep Apnea • Sleep apnea is a breathing interruption that

occurs during sleep.

• A person with sleep apnea does not begin breathing until he or she sits up and gasps for air. They may not even know this happens.

• They often feel tired during the day.

• People with sleep apnea often snore.

• Sleep apnea can lead to high blood pressure, heart attacks, and strokes.

Sleep Problems: Narcolepsy

• Narcolepsy is a rare sleep disorder in which people suddenly fall asleep no matter what time it is or where they are.

• They may be wide awake one minute, and the next be in a REM sleep. These episodes may last a few seconds to twenty minutes.

• This can be very dangerous.

• It can be treated using stimulants and frequent naps.

Sleep Problems: Restless Leg Syndrome

• Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a neurological disorder characterized by throbbing, pulling, creeping, or other unpleasant sensations in the legs and an uncontrollable urge to move them.

• Symptoms occur primarily at night when a person is relaxing or at rest and can increase in severity during the night. Moving the legs relieves the discomfort.

• the sensations range in severity from uncomfortable to irritating to painful.

Meditation, Biofeedback, and Hypnosis

Section 3

Meditation & Biofeedback • Did you know: “Masters of meditation, such as

Zen practitioners, can change their brain waves” just by meditating? (National Geographic Your Brain, 2013)

• Meditation is a method people use to try to narrow their consciousness by blocking the stresses of the outside world. People who use meditation focus on repetitive, peaceful stimuli.

• Biofeedback is a system that provides information about something that happens in the body. Using biofeedback people have learned to control their heart rates, blood pressure, and tension headaches by keeping muscles relaxed.

HYPNOSIS? Click on the link for a Discovery Channel video.

Hypnosis is Greek for sleep. It is often considered an altered state of consciousness during which people respond to suggestions.

Today it is used as an anesthetic for some types of surgery. It is sometimes used to help reduce anxiety, manage pain, or overcome fears. It can be used to help quit bad habits, such as smoking.

Hypnosis • A hypnotist usually asks a client to focus on

something specific. They suggest that the person’s arms and legs are becoming warm, heavy, and relaxed or that they are becoming sleepy. Hypnosis is not sleep; it is a trance that can be induced by the word sleep.

• Some people have hypnotic suggestibility. They are easier to hypnotize. People with vivid imaginations are particularly suggestible.

• If a hypnotist suggests the client will not recall events during the trance, the client usually will not be able to recall what happened.

How can we explain hypnosis?

• Freud thought people permit themselves to return to childish ways.

• Role theory suggests people who are hypnotized believe what they are doing is real.

• The scientific basis for hypnosis is unknown. Therefore, it is not considered reliable.

Consciousness Info on the Web

Consciousness Games