Meaning and

classification of
consciousness
CONSCIOUSNESS

It refers to individual awareness
of your unique thoughts,
memories, feelings, sensations
and environment.
The state of being awake and
aware of ones surroundings.


FUNCTIONS OF CONSCIOUSNESS
Simplification and Selection of
information
- It is in consciousness that the choice is made.
Guiding and overseeing actions
- Consciousness connects brain and body states
with external occurrences, in order to function in a
complex environment, actions must be planned,
guided and organized: We must know when and
where to walk; when to speak and what to say;
when to eat, drink, eliminate, and sleep. These
actions must be coordinated with events in the
outside world. At any moment the content of
consciousness is what we are prepared to act on
next.

Setting priorities for action

- The priority system gives certain events,
those affecting survival, fast access or a
controlling influence on consciousness.
Survival and safety comes first; while
hunger will not intrude as dramatically as
does pain, the need will be felt if left
unattended.

Detecting and resolving
discrepancies

- since the information selected to enter
consciousness is usually about changes in the
external and internal worlds, when there is a
discrepancy between our stored knowledge about
the world ad an event, it is more likely to come to
consciousness.

STATE OF CONSCIOUSNESS

Sleep
Although everyone sleeps, no one really
knows why people sleep. Researchers have
proposed several theories to explain how sleep
evolved to be a necessary behavior:

People conserve energy by sleeping periodically.
Sleep has a protective function, as it keeps people
tucked away at night, safe from predators.
Sleep restores body tissues that are depleted during
daily activities.

THE LEARNING PROCESS AND SLEEP

Healthy sleep is essential for optimal
learning and memory function.

Sleep, learning, and memory are complex
phenomena that are not entirely
understood. However, animal and human
studies suggest that the quantity and quality
of sleep have a profound impact on learning
and memory.
Research suggests that sleep helps
learning and memory in two distinct
ways. First, a sleep-deprived person
cannot focus attention optimally and
therefore cannot learn efficiently.
Second, sleep itself has a role in the
consolidation of memory, which is
essential for learning new information.

THE STAGES OF SLEEP

Circadian Rhythm
-a cycle that is connected with the twenty-
four-hour period of the earths rotation
Alpha Waves
rapid low-amplitude brain waves that have
been linked to feelings of relaxation.
Nonrapid eye movement (NREM) sleep
our eyes dart back and forth beneath our
eyelids.


Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep
- characterized by rapid eye movements,
which have been linked to dreaming

Theta Waves
- slow brain waves produced during the
hypnagogic state

Delta Waves
slow brain produced usually emitted during
stage 4 sleep

SLEEP DISORDERS

Insomnia:
- is by far the most common sleep disorder,
affecting nearly 60 percent of U.S. adults at
least one night each week. Common
symptoms of insomnia include difficulty
getting to sleep and waking before it is time to
get up. There are many factors that can
contribute to insomnia including stress and
underlying medical conditions. Typical
treatments include sleeping pills and behavior
therapy. Practicing good sleep habits can
often be effective for treating mild cases of
insomnia.

Sleep Apnea:
-is the second most common sleep disorder
and affects approximately 20 million
Americans. This disorder causes people to
stop breathing abruptly while they are asleep.
During this brief period, carbon dioxide builds
up in the blood and the sleeper wakes
suddenly to gasp for breath. The length of
time that the sleeper stop breathing can vary
from a few seconds to so long that the
individuals skin actually turns blue from
oxygen deprivation.

Narcolepsy:
- is a neurological sleep disorder that leads to
periods of intense sleepiness during the daytime.
People suffering from narcolepsy often experience
bouts of overwhelming sleepiness and may fall
asleep for brief periods of time during the day.

Affecting as many as 250,000 Americans, narcolepsy
is a chronic condition that typically begins during
adolescence. In addition to sleepiness, narcolepsy is
frequently accompanied by cataplexy, which involves
a sudden loss of muscle tone and control that can last
seconds or minutes. Other symptoms include
hallucinations and paralysis during sleep.

Somnambulism or Sleepwalking

While insomnia and sleep apnea are more common
in adults, other sleep disorders such as
sleepwalking and night terrors are far more
common in young children. Sleepwalking, also
known as somnambulism, is characterized by
periods of getting out of bed while asleep.

Night terrors
These are most frequently seen in very young
children (between the ages of 2 and 6), but people
of any age can be affected by this sleep disorder.
Typical symptoms include excessive sweating,
shaking and obvious fear.

Circadian rhythm sleep disorders (CRSD) are a
family of sleep disorders affecting, among other
things, the timing of sleep. People with circadian
rhythm sleep disorders are unable to sleep and
wake at the times required for normal work, school,
and social needs. They are generally able to get
enough sleep if allowed to sleep and wake at the
times dictated by their body clocks. Unless they
also have another sleep disorder, the quality of their
sleep is usually normal.

DREAM
DREAMS
are imagery in the absence of external stimulation
and can seem real.
as the Residue of the Day
as the expression of Unconscious desires(wishes
and urges)

Some researchers think dreams express peoples
most pressing concerns, while others think dreams
arise during the brains routine housekeeping
chores such as eliminating or strengthening neural
connections.

ALTERED STATE OF CONSCIOUSNESS

Meditation
-is the practice of focusing attention. People
meditate to enhance awareness and gain more
control of physical and mental processes.
Techniques used in meditation vary and include
activities such as repetitive chanting and breathing
exercises. Meditation is a repetitive practice used to
help people train their attention. People practice
meditation for many reasons, but most commonly to
reduce stress and gain better control over their
minds.

Hypnosis

Psychologists believe that hypnosis is an altered
state of consciousness that allows a person to be
more open to suggestion. Although people can
perform hypnosis for comedy and magic shows,
psychologists can also be trained in hypnosis.
Psychologists can use hypnosis to help contain
unmanageable feelings or to help a person reach a
goal, such as losing weight or quitting smoking.
Psychologists use hypnosis to suggest new
feelings, thoughts and behaviors to clients while
they are in this altered state.

Psychoactive drugs
-as opposed to medicinal drugs, have psychological
effects, meaning that they change sensory
experience, perception, mood, thinking, and
behavior. Psychoactive drugs are sometimes called
recreational drugs, though some have legitimate
medical uses.


TYPES OF RECREATIONAL DRUGS

Researchers usually classify recreational drugs into
four types: stimulants, sedatives, narcotics, and
hallucinogens.

Stimulants: drugs that stimulate the central
nervous system
Sedatives: drugs that slow down the central
nervous system
Narcotics: also called opiates; drugs that can
relieve pain
Hallucinogens: drugs that cause sensory and
perceptual distortions















End.