sleep and dreams

Question 1

What is consciousness?

Answer 1

Awareness of both external and internal stimuli; continually changing.

Question 2

How is sleep measured?

Answer 2

Using EEG (brain), EMG (muscles), EOG (eyes), and EKG (heart).

Question 3

What do brain waves indicate?

Answer 3

Beta: Alert
Alpha: Relaxed
Theta: Light sleep
Delta: Deep sleep.

Question 4

What happens in Stage 1 of sleep?

Answer 4

Transition from wake to sleep; theta waves dominate; bodily functions decline.

Question 5

What is slow wave sleep?

Answer 5

Occurs in Stages 3 & 4; delta waves are prominent.

Question 6

What happens during REM sleep?

Answer 6

Deep sleep, vivid dreaming, body paralysis, beta waves, irregular breathing/pulse.

Question 7

How long is a full sleep cycle?

Answer 7

About 90 minutes; REM increases in length through the night.

Question 8

What is the REM rebound effect?

Answer 8

After REM deprivation, body enters REM more quickly and frequently.

Question 9

How much REM do newborns get?

Answer 9

~50% of sleep time.

Question 10

How does REM change with age?

Answer 10

Decreases to 20% by adolescence; more awakenings with age.

Question 11

How are adult dreams different from children’s?

Answer 11

Adults recall ~80%, dream about sex/aggression. Children recall less and dreams lack meaning until age 11–13.

Question 12

Can external stimuli affect dreams?

Answer 12

Yes, e.g., a sound in real life becomes part of the dream.

Question 13

What is Freud’s theory of dreams?

Answer 13

Dreams reflect unconscious wishes (latent content) disguised in symbolic form.

Question 14

What is the Dreams-for-Survival Theory?

Answer 14

Dreams help process info critical for daily life.

Question 15

What is the Activation-Synthesis Theory?

Answer 15

The brain randomly fires during REM and creates stories from it.

Question 16

What is insomnia?

Answer 16

Chronic sleep difficulty—falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking early.

Question 17

What is narcolepsy?

Answer 17

Sudden irresistible REM sleep attacks during the day.

Question 18

What is sleep apnea?

Answer 18

Person repeatedly stops breathing during sleep (10+ seconds).

Question 19

What is somnambulism?

Answer 19

Sleepwalking, usually 15–30 minutes long.

Question 20

What are night terrors?

Answer 20

Panic and fear episodes, mostly in children ages 3–8.

Question 21

What regulates circadian rhythms?

Answer 21

Suprachiasmatic nucleus in hypothalamus → pineal gland → melatonin.

Question 22

What disrupts circadian rhythms?

Answer 22

Jet lag and irregular sleep patterns.

Question 23

What is hypnosis?

Answer 23

A state of heightened suggestibility; may include anesthesia, hallucinations.

Question 24

What are the two hypnosis theories?

Answer 24

Role-Playing vs. Altered State of Consciousness.

Question 25

What is meditation?

Answer 25

Practice to heighten awareness and achieve altered consciousness; associated with alpha/theta waves and lower heart rate.

Question 26

What are psychoactive drugs?

Answer 26

Chemicals that alter mental/emotional/perceptual function.

Question 27

What is the difference between biological and psychological addiction?

Answer 27

Biological: body needs it; Psychological: belief it helps with stress.

Question 28

What are stimulants?

Answer 28

↑ CNS activity: Nicotine, Amphetamines, Cocaine (blocks dopamine reuptake).

Question 29

What are depressants?

Answer 29

↓ CNS activity: Alcohol (initial relaxation, later aggression/poor judgment), Barbiturates (highly addictive).

Question 30

What are narcotics?

Answer 30

Pain relief, euphoria: Morphine, Heroin (highly addictive), Methadone (substitute treatment).

Question 31

What are hallucinogens?

Answer 31

Distort perception: Marijuana (THC), Ecstasy (MDMA, affects serotonin), LSD (vivid hallucinations, time distortion).

Question 32

What causes drug overdose?

Answer 32

Most often depressants (e.g., alcohol + barbiturates); stimulants can lead to stroke or heart attack.

Question 33

What are indirect effects of drug use?

Answer 33

Accidents, poor sleep/eating, disease transmission, behavior changes.