Altered Consciousness: Understanding Sleep, Dreams, and Circadian Rhythms, Slides of Introduction to Psychology

Download Altered Consciousness: Understanding Sleep, Dreams, and Circadian Rhythms and more Slides Introduction to Psychology in PDF only on Docsity! Altered Consciousness Docsity.com Are you morning person (lark) or an evening person (owl)? Docsity.com “Free-Running Environments” • Most people tend toward 25hr cycles • More common source of disruption… – Preventing jet lag – Shining lights on back of knees, shifts clock to regulate sleep-wake cycle • Interplay between environment & hypothalamus Docsity.com Sleep • Microsleeps – 56% long haul truck drivers – http://www.livejournal.com/users/thefowle/221510.html – ~ 200,000 traffic accidents a year are sleep related • Simulated car experiment – Drive 1 hour; break 30 mins. • Brief naps & coffee Docsity.com @) How to Stay Awake When Driving 25 Io o Number of incidents _ —_- on o nm o Caffeine Nap Placebo Condition sass Pretreatment (Hour 1) === Posttreatment (Preastzpom Presleep Stages of Sleep Non-REM Docsity.com Stages of sleep Awake ha = A Typical Night’s Sleep 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Hours of sleep wee REM sleep on Non-REM sleep Dreaming • When awakened in NREM, dreaming 50% of time; – REM- 80% – More visual, vivid, detailed, story-like • Adaptive: 50% newborn; 30% 6mos.; 25% 2yrs • As night wares, more time spent in REM – Why we feel need to finish dreams when alarm sounds • Rebound effect when deprived Docsity.com “Mind over matter” • Restoration Theory – Recharging Battery for cognitive, physical, emotional demands – Rats after 2-3 weeks • Metabolism, temp, food intake, weight loss, immune system… • Evolutionary – Conserve energy, minimize exposure to predators • We couldn’t search for food well at night or protect ourselves form nocturnal predators Docsity.com Evolutionary Theory Cross-species Comparisons of Daily Hours of Sleep Docsity.com Dreams are adaptive • Everyone dreams, WITHOUT exception, several times a night – Electrochemical events (Brainstem & Cortex) • Longer REM, more words used to describe dream & more elaborate story • What do we dream about? Docsity.com Dreams reflect cultural Beliefs • Messages sent from evil spirits • Messages sent by the Gods • One’s soul leaves body, enters another world • Kurds & Zulus: dreaming of adulterous affair is an offense – If gift received, must compensate when awake Docsity.com What are the influences 1. Everyday concerns • Finances, new relationships, exam anxiety, etc. 2. External stimuli • Ever incorporated alarm in your dream? • Slumber parties- “pinky trick” • Dement, 1992: 42% waterfalls, rain, leaking roofs, swimming, etc. 3. Yourself (Lucid Dreaming) • ‘Half in, half out’, aware while dreaming Docsity.com What do they tell us? • Freud: The Interpretation of Dreams, 1900 – Unconsciously motivated to satisfy sexual and aggressive urges – Too threatening to express or recognize – Psychological defense mechanism • BUT, during sleep, defense is down! • Would be shattering to come face-to-face w/ deepest, darkest urges… • We construct dreams that express fulfillment in ways too confusing to recognize Docsity.com Tips to Avoid Insomnia • Do not nap during the day. • Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and cigarettes within five hours of bedtime. • Avoid exercise within two hours of bedtime. • Keep a rigid schedule. • If awake and anxious, leave bed and return when sleepy. Docsity.com Hypersomnia • 5% complain of sleeping too much • E.g. Narcolepsy – Sudden, irresistible attack of drowsiness, w/out warning • playing b-ball, eating, conversing, having sex • Lasts 5-30 mins • Right to REM Docsity.com Parasomnia • Sleep apnea affects 4% of Americans – Fall asleep normally… – Can occur up to 400 times per night • Nightmares – Only dangerous for RBD! – Skeletal muscles aren’t paralyzed – Have mobility to act on nightmares • 75% have injured selves; 44% partners Docsity.com For the next 2 minutes… Try not to think of a white bear Docsity.com Consciousness and Control • Ironic Processes – The harder ones tries to control a thought or behavior, the less likely one is to succeed, especially if distracted, tired, or under stress. Docsity.com For the next 2 minutes… Go ahead and think of a white bear Docsity.com