ALTERED STATES OF CONSCIOUSNESS
Significance of Wakefulness, Sleep, and Fatigue
Wakefulness is the productive part of our life. At the same time sleep is also an essential aspect. When we are awake, we are consuming our physical energy, and after some time we begin to experience fatigue. All these are the various faces of consciousness .Psychologists agree that we may experience different states of consciousness at different times of the day.
Consciousness
• The awareness of the sensations, thoughts, feelings and emotions, events, and surroundings that are experienced by a person. Consciousness is the subjective experience and understanding of both the environment around our private internal world, unobservable to outside and us. The nature of consciousness spans several dimensions. It can range from our perceptions while wide-awake to the dreams we have during sleep, with wide variation in how aware we are of outside stimuli. Some psychologists argue that ‘consciousness’ is a term that should be applied even to mental experiences, which we are not aware of.
Consequently, some psychologist argue that the definition of consciousness ought to be expanded to include all mental experiences, whether we aware of them.
• The awareness of the sensations, thoughts, feelings and emotions, events, and surroundings that are experienced by a person. Consciousness is the subjective experience and understanding of both the environment around our private internal world, unobservable to outside and us. The nature of consciousness spans several dimensions. It can range from our perceptions while wide-awake to the dreams we have during sleep, with wide variation in how aware we are of outside stimuli. Some psychologists argue that ‘consciousness’ is a term that should be applied even to mental experiences, which we are not aware of.
Consequently, some psychologist argue that the definition of consciousness ought to be expanded to include all mental experiences, whether we aware of them.
Altered States of Consciousness
The states when an individual is either fully or partially unaware of the sensations, thoughts, feelings and
emotions, events, and surroundings that are experienced by a person; this may be due to various reasons.
The states when an individual is either fully or partially unaware of the sensations, thoughts, feelings and
emotions, events, and surroundings that are experienced by a person; this may be due to various reasons.
The Study of Consciousness Has Long Been in Question
In the olden times it was not possible to study this phenomenon in a scientific manner. Today a
number of scientific techniques are available for assessing, testing, judging, and analyzing
consciousness and its altered states e.g. EEG.
In the olden times it was not possible to study this phenomenon in a scientific manner. Today a
number of scientific techniques are available for assessing, testing, judging, and analyzing
consciousness and its altered states e.g. EEG.
Varied States of Consciousness
•Sleep
•Dreaming
•Hypnosis and Meditation
•Drug induced states
•Dreaming
•Hypnosis and Meditation
•Drug induced states
Characteristics of the Variations in States of Consciousness
• Affected sensations.
• Impaired thinking: may become shallow, superficial, illogical and irrational.
• Altered emotional response; that may affect personal relationships.
• Abnormal perceptual processing; the sense of time and space may suffer.
• Impaired physiological processes.
• Impaired thinking: may become shallow, superficial, illogical and irrational.
• Altered emotional response; that may affect personal relationships.
• Abnormal perceptual processing; the sense of time and space may suffer.
• Impaired physiological processes.
Sleep
• A state of total or partial unawareness ranging from slight wakefulness to lighttranquility, to nearly total detachment from the external world.
• Sleep is the time of rest and rejuvenation for the body.
• The muscles and the nerves relax.
• A state of total or partial unawareness ranging from slight wakefulness to lighttranquility, to nearly total detachment from the external world.
• Sleep is the time of rest and rejuvenation for the body.
• The muscles and the nerves relax.
• The body recharges its energy for the hours of work to come the next day.
• People may need a siesta in the afternoon too, depending upon the climate, culture, age, and their health status.
• People may need a siesta in the afternoon too, depending upon the climate, culture, age, and their health status.
The Stages of Sleep
Stage- 1
Stage- 2
Stage- 3
Stage- 4
• These stages move in cycles of about 90 minutes duration each.
• The person passes through regular transitions between these stages.
• The sleep becomes less and less deep as the night passes.
• These stages can be studied through an electroencephalogram (EEG).
Electroencephalogram (EEG)
• An apparatus/machine that measure records and displays electrical activity within the brain of a person.
• Brain wave activity, or electrical charge, is recorded in the form of a graphic pattern.
• An apparatus/machine that measure records and displays electrical activity within the brain of a person.
• Brain wave activity, or electrical charge, is recorded in the form of a graphic pattern.
Stage-1 Sleep
• The initial stage when one is in transition between wakefulness and sleep.
• The brain waves during this phase are quite rapid and low-voltage.
• In the beginning of this stage one does not dream, although photograph like images may appear.
• Heart rate is elevated and irregular; breathing is rapid, and the blood pressure high.
• Rapid eye movement takes place.
• The initial stage when one is in transition between wakefulness and sleep.
• The brain waves during this phase are quite rapid and low-voltage.
• In the beginning of this stage one does not dream, although photograph like images may appear.
• Heart rate is elevated and irregular; breathing is rapid, and the blood pressure high.
• Rapid eye movement takes place.
Stage-2 Sleep
• A level of sleep deeper than stage-1.
• The wave pattern becomes more regular, that may momentarily show sharp peaks, or waves that are sharply pointed, called ‘ sleep spindles’.
• If a person is at stage-2 sleep, it becomes difficult to wake him up.
• A level of sleep deeper than stage-1.
• The wave pattern becomes more regular, that may momentarily show sharp peaks, or waves that are sharply pointed, called ‘ sleep spindles’.
• If a person is at stage-2 sleep, it becomes difficult to wake him up.
Stage-3 Sleep
• The brain waves are slower.
• Higher peaks and lower valleys are shown by the wave pattern.
• Stage-3 and stage-4 sleep dominate the first half of the night.
• The brain waves are slower.
• Higher peaks and lower valleys are shown by the wave pattern.
• Stage-3 and stage-4 sleep dominate the first half of the night.
Stage-4 Sleep
• In this stage the person is almost cut off from the external world, and is least responsive to stimulation from outside: the deepest sleep.
• The brain wave pattern now is more regular and even slower.
• The time during which this stage is most likely to occur is the early part of the night.
• Lighter stages of sleep dominate the last half of night.
• In this stage the person is almost cut off from the external world, and is least responsive to stimulation from outside: the deepest sleep.
• The brain wave pattern now is more regular and even slower.
• The time during which this stage is most likely to occur is the early part of the night.
• Lighter stages of sleep dominate the last half of night.
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