U4AOS1 - Consciousness And Sleep Flashcards
(131 cards)
1
Q
conciousness
A
can be defined as the awareness of our own thoughts, feelings, perceptions (internal) and our surroundings (external) at any given moment
- creates our reality (what we believe to be real and happening in the moment)
- a sense of self is developed through being aware of what we are doing, why we do it and the awareness that others are probably observing, evaluating and reacting to it
- can be thought of as operating on a continuum
2
Q
psychological constructs
A
- psychological constructs can be used to understand or explain things that we believe to exist but we cannot see, touch or measure in any way
- can be difficult to measure as it is private and personal
3
Q
stream of conciousness
A
William James coined the phrase ‘stream of consciousness’ as he viewed consciousness as an ever changing series of thoughts that can shift smoothly and effortlessly from one moment to the next
- our consciousness is every changing, continual, personal, selective and active
4
Q
states of conciousness
A
normal waking consciousness
altered states of conciousness
5
Q
normal waking conciousness
A
- state is relatively organised, meaningful and clear
- consciousness when you are awake, aware of your thoughts, feelings and environment
- creates your reality and provides a baseline to judge altered states of consciousness
6
Q
altered states of conciousness
A
- defined as any state of consciousness that deviates from normal waking consciousness in terms of marked differences in levels of awareness, perceptions, memories, thinking, behaviours, sense of time, place and self control
- can be culturally significant and can happen through religious experiences
- an altered state of consciousness can be induced by occurring naturally or deliberately
7
Q
measuring changes in psychological state
A
level of awareness attention controlled and automatic processes content limitations emotional awareness self-control time orientation perceptual and cognitive distortions
8
Q
level of awareness
A
- awareness related to how conscious or aware you are of internal and external events
- a number of levels of awareness exist during normal waking consciousness from having little awareness to being tuned into specific events
- awareness increases or decreases compared to normal waking consciousness
9
Q
attention
A
attention relates to information that you are actively processing either consciously or automatically
- a range of stimuli can affect attention
types of attention:
selective attention
selective inattention
divided attention
10
Q
stimuli types
A
novel stimuli (new or unusual) changes in stimulation (volume of music increasing rapidly) something personally meaningful
11
Q
selective attention
A
limitations placed on how much we can focus at any given moment on one stimulus or event to the exclusion of others
12
Q
selective inattention
A
refers to the way we attend to or don’t attend to information that may be relevant but emotionally upsetting
13
Q
divided attention
A
the capacity to attend to and perform two or more activities at the time
14
Q
controlled processes
A
require the person to be aware of what they are going and concentrate on how to perform the task
- require full conscious awareness
- requires conscious awareness
- usually complex or novel tasks
15
Q
automatic processes
A
require little awareness or mental effort or conscious awareness to be performed well and generally don’t interfere with the other processes
- requires little awareness
- little attention or natural effort
- simple or mastered tasks
16
Q
content limitations - normal waking conciousness
A
- in nwc. we mainly control what we focus our attention on and our thoughts tend to be logical and organised
- the content of nwc. is more limited
17
Q
content limitations - altered states of conciousness
A
- during altered states of consciousness our ability to pay attention to certain tasks can be increased or decreased compared to nwc.
- when in a dream state our mental defences are lowered and the content may be deeper and broader
- the content in altered states of consciousness tends to be disorganised, bizarre and unusual
18
Q
perceptual and cognitive distortions
A
perception
cognition
19
Q
perception
A
the process of organising sensory input and giving it meaning
- in normal waking consciousness our perceptions are clear and rational
- in an altered state of conscious perception our sensory input is quite different
20
Q
cognition
A
a broad term that relates to mental activities such as thinking, problem solving, analysis and recording
- during nwc. we have a sense of reality
- our thoughts are usually rational, clear and meaningful // in nwc. our brain can store information in our memory and retrieve it for thinking
- in altered states of consciousness we may lack logic and problem solving may be impaired, memory of events may be inaccurate and we may not be able to retrieve them in nwc.
21
Q
emotional awareness
A
- in nwc. we are generally more aware of our feelings and usually show a range of emotions that are normal for us and appropriate for the situation
- in altered states of consciousness emotions can become heightened, dulled or inappropriate for the event
22
Q
self control
A
- consciousness allows us to direct our thinking and monitor our impulses and behaviours
- maintained in normal waking consciousness and not when in altered states of consciousness / the exception in some people gain greater self control in certain altered states of consciousness
23
Q
time orientation
A
- it is perceived we ‘move’ in the normal waking consciousness
- in altered states of consciousness it moves at different speeds (slower and faster)
24
Q
measuring physiological responses
A
- these are the most reliable and east subjective means of indicating different states of consciousness during sleep and wakefulness
- there are weaknesses with this method alone however:
> it is limited in its ability to identify the participants private and personal conscious experience - many physiological measures provide psychologists with information about how bodily functions change during nwc. altered states of consciousness
25
measuring physiological responses examples
- measures include; eye muscle movement, body muscle movement, heart rate, body temperature, electrical conductivity of the skin, blood pressure and brainwave patterns
26
electroencephalograph (EEG)
a device that detects, amplifies and record electrical activity in the brain in the form of brainwaves, it monitors the electrical activity of the brain that is detectible on the outside of the skull
- indicate brainwave activity associated with changes to states of consciousness, such as when a person is drowsy or asleep
27
brainwave patterns
patterns vary in frequency;
- high frequency patterns indicate faster brainwaves demonstrated by more waves per unit of time (usually seconds)
- frequency is measured in Hertz (Hz)
- brainwaves very in amplitude (the height of peaks and troughs of the cured graph that represents brainwave activity)
28
types of brainwave patterns
```
gamma
beta
alpha
theta
delta
```
29
other indicators
k-complex
sleep spindles
sawtooth waves
30
k-complex
sharp rise and fall in amplitude, lasting two seconds]
| - indicative of stage 2 nrem sleep
31
sleep spindles
periodic bursts of rapid frequency
| - indicative of stage 2 nrem sleep
32
sawtooth waves
fast, random waves slightly bigger than alpha waves
| - indicative of dreaming
33
alertness levels
```
hyper alert: gamma and beta waves
awake and alert: beta waves
awake and drowsy: alpha waves
focus zone: alpha- theta waves // some gamma waves
REM sleep: beta waves
stages 1 & 2 NREM sleep: theta sleep
stages 3 & 4 NREM sleep: delta waves
vegetative state: alpha waves
```
34
electro-oculograph
- a device that detects, amplifies and records electrical activity in muscles that allow the eyes to move
- electrodes are attached to the areas on the face around the eyes as they move and rotate in their sockets
- can detect whether someone awake: in REM or NREM sleep
35
electro-oculograph signals
alert: depends if activity requires eye movement
relaxed: little movement
NREM: none or little
REM: bursts of rapid movement
36
electromyograph
- detects and amplifies electrical activity of muscles
- electrodes attached directly to skin
- can be useful to detect whether someone is awake or asleep or in REM/NREM sleep
- when someone is awake activity in EMG recordings varies between moderate/high and moderate/low in NREM sleep and virtually non existent in REM sleep
37
behavioural and cognitive measurements
speed and accuracy on cognitive tests
attention (selective vs. divided)
acquired brain damage
subjective reporting
38
speed and accuracy on cognitive tests
- measuring the two factors can inform us of characteristics associated with normal waking consciousness and altered states of consciousness
- this is more subjective
39
attention (selective vs. divided)
- selective attention relates to focusing our attention to the exclusion of other stimuli
- divided attention relates to focusing on multiple stimuli. at one time (this is shown to not be effective)
- we need more attention for controlled processing
40
acquired brain damage
- has been known to disrupt the way a person attends to the world and this the speed and accuracy of cognitive tests
41
subjective reporting
self reporting
sleep diaries
video monitoring
42
self reporting
- statements and answers to questions made by participants concerning their psychological response
- they can be in a form, questionnaire etc.
- psychologists may use sampling techniques where participants are asked to self report conscious experiences at specific times
43
sleep diaries
- are used when a person is experiencing sleep troubles such as insomnia
- limitations are if the participant tells the truth and can describe the experiences accurately or not
44
video monitoring
- using an IR camera that operates silently to allow footage to be seen and taped in the dark without disturbing the participant
- often data is recorded along with physiological measurements
45
video monitoring advantages
- gives insight into observable behaviours within sleep
- can be undertaken in sleep labs or natural settings
- researchers can continuously monitor the behaviour either at the time of collection, at a later stage or both
46
video monitoring disadvantages
- data is open to interpretation and requires clear definitions for a specific behaviour
- may miss important events if only considering still photos every few seconds
- participants behaviour may be blocked from the camera
47
drug induced states
psychoactive drugs
depressants
stimulants
48
psychoactive drugs
chemical substances that affect the nervous system and brain activity
- they cross the blood-brain barrier and affect our brain chemistry usually by modifying it (increasing or decreasing the number of neurotransmitters)
- constant drug use can cause a reliance leading to an increased risk of death and overdoses
49
types of drugs
depressants (decreasing nervous system activity e.g. alcohol)
stimulants (increase ns. activity e.g. cocaine)
opioids (provide pain relief and cause mood changes e.g. morphine)
hallucinogens (cause hallucinations e.g. psilocybin)
marijuana (produces a euphoric state and impaired judgement and thinking)
50
depressants
- decrease nervous system activity
- decrease levels of alertness and increase the presence of lower frequency brainwaves such as delta, alpha and theta
> benzos
> alcohol
51
benzodiazepines / barbiturates
- slow brain functioning down and produce muscle relaxation
- mild doses are relaxing and higher doses can cause sleeping
- they are addictive and tolerance develops
- when combined with alcohol their effects are exaggerated
52
alcohol
- depressant even though people may have a perception it isn't
- in low doses alcohol can reduce inhibitions and cause feelings of relaxation and wellbeing
- people who have consumed alcohol may seem more stimulated, active and talkative than usual
- the way it affects people depends on age, gender, height and weight
> caffeine, cocaine, amphetamines
53
stimulants
- stimulate the nervous system, increase levels of alertness and the presence of higher frequency brainwaves such as alpha, beta and gamma
- increases autonomic system activity such as blood pressure
- some stimulants are highly addictive and pose very serious and life-threatening side effects
54
caffine
- increases alertness as the nervous system is quickly aroused and it is rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream
- people may have withdrawal symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, fatigue, shortness, anxiety, difficulty concentrating...
55
cocaine
- usually injected, smoked or inhaled producing a very short and intense effect
- increases brainwave activity and provides an immediate and intense euphoria
- there is a crash afterwards leaving a person depressed, anxious and wanting more
- cocaine builds up a selective tolerance
56
amphetamines
- increases alertness and arousal; boosts mood and reduces sleepiness including a feeling of euphoria and confidence
- people can develop a tolerance and psychological addiction to the drug and crave the sure of energy
- large amounts can lead to psychosis, loss of reality and hallucinations
57
sleep
- we spend around 1/3 of our lives asleep
- to nod off to sleep is to temporarily lose normal waking consciousness
- we have little awareness of our external environment
- as we sleep we relinquish conscious control of our thoughts
- most sleep walkers carry out routine, autonomic processes
- our attention to sensory stimuli in sleep is lowered during sleep including our perception of pain
- emotions can be more or less intense in sleep
- our ability to maintain self control is lowered
- our ability to perceive the flow of time is reduced
58
circadian rhythm
determined by an internal body clock located within the hypothalamus in the brain
- levels of arousal, hormone secretions, heart rate and body temperature are all controlled
- for most people they are awake and alert in the day and drowsy and sleepy in the night
- hormones including cortisol and melatonin are regulated by the suprachiasmatic nucleus
59
cortisol
link to our levels of awareness (higher levels are associated with greater alertness)
60
melatonin
causes sleepiness and is released in the dark
61
light and circadian rhythm
- normal cycle is a little over 24 hours
- light and dark can change the cycle
- the detection of light is the primary external signal for the suprachiasmatic nucleus which signals the pineal gland to stop the release of melatonin
62
ultradian rhythm
- on average we have one cycle of REM and NREM every 90 minutes
- most adults on average have four to six cycles per night
- typically spend more time in REM sleep in the cycle just before we wake in the morning compared to cycles earlier in the night
63
NREM sleep
```
- consists of four stages and accounts for around 80% of our total sleep time
stage 1
stage 2
stage 3
stage 4
```
64
NREM stage 1
- during the transition from awake to asleep we enter a relaxed, hypogenic state
- we experience hallucination like images and flashes
- brief and lasts around 5 minutes for most people nut can range from 30 seconds to 10 minutes
- very light sleep and easily awakened
65
NREM stage 2
- many consider this the point where sleep begins
- spend about 20 minutes in this stage in the first cycle
- as we slip further into stage 2 NREM sleep, our eyes stop rolling, muscles become relaxed and breathing and heart-rate continue to decrease
- this accounts for around 50% of total sleep
66
NREM stage 3
- this brief transitional stage that makes the start of deep sleep
- in this stage we become less responsive to external stimuli and more difficult to awake
- if we are woken in this stage we feel quite groggy
- our eyes don't move in this stage, muscles are relaxed and heart rate and breathing slows
67
NREM stage 4
- deepest sleep / extremely difficult to wake from this stage
- conscious awareness is very low
- in the first cycle we spend around 30 minutes in this stage
68
REM sleep
- a period of sleep when the eyes move rapidly for short periods of time
- the first cycle of REM lasts around 10 minutes
- a lighter sleep than NREM stages 3 and 4
- if we were woken up we may say we were dreaming
- marked by rapid physiological changes such as rapid eye movement, heart rates, blood pressure increases and respiratory increases
- often referred to as paradoxical sleep as the body can appear calm on the exterior but be highly active internally
- dreams tend to follow a timeline
69
physiological characteristics NREM stage 1
- drifting in and out of sleep
- irregular hr
- irregular breathing
- relatively tense muscles
- body temperature normal
70
physiological characteristics NREM stage 2
- light sleep
- slower and more regular heart rate
- slower and more regular breathing
- lower muscle tension
- lower body temperature
71
physiological characteristics NREM stage 3
- moderately deep sleep
- slower and more regular heart rate
- slower and more regular breathing
- lower muscle tension
- lower body temperature
72
physiological characteristics NREM stage 4
- deep sleep
- slow and regular heart rate
- slow and regular breathing
- relaxed (low tension)
- lowest body temperature
73
physiological characteristics REM stage
- light sleep
- HR increases and fluctuates
- breathing increases and fluctuates
- virtually non existent muscle tension
- body temperature regulated
74
sleep patterns across the lifespan
sleep patterns change with age
- newborns spend about 16 hours per day sleeping with about half the time in REM sleep
- young children spend a lot of time in deep REM sleep
- adults sleep for about 8 hours with about 1/4 in REM sleep
- by 60 years old little time is spend in stage 4 NREM sleep with sleep lasting for around 6 hours still with 20-25% in REM sleep
75
the purpose of sleep theories
evolution theory
| restoration theory
76
evolution theory of sleep
- sleep is a means of increasing an animal's chances of surviving in the night
- animals sleep patterns have evolved around the circadian day-night pattern
- sleep patterns have adapted whether the animals are predator or prey, food requirements and methods of defence
- within populations individuals have adapted whether the animals are predator or prey (small animals sleep more to hide / larger prey animals need to be ready to escape)
- sleep also depends on the need to find food
- sleep also conserves energy
77
evolution of sleep theory criticisms
- very useful but not essential as it doesn't explain why we need sleep
- for animals that are preyed on sometimes sleep may be dangerous
78
restoration theory
- sleep allows us to recharge our bodies: to grow and recover from the physical and psychological work during sleep
- sleep repairs and replenishes the body and prepares it for action next day
- the neurotransmitter adenosine may provide further evidence for the restoration theory / it is produced when cells use energy and is linked to making us feel tired
79
restoration theory evidence
> sleep increases alertness
> sleep enhances mood
> sleep activates growth hormone
> sleep increases our immunity
80
sleep increases alertness
- sleep keeps our minds alert and assists our psychological state
- neurotransmitters including norepinephrine which keeps us alert in the day
- our bodies are more alert and responsive to norepinephrine when sleep is adequate
81
sleep enhances mood
- many hormones and neurotransmitters influence our mood and emotions
- a number of these are activated during sleep
82
sleep activates growth hormone
- responsible for physical growth especially in early years and adolescence
- the more you sleep the more likely you are to grow
- the growth hormone is also responsible to control metabolism
83
sleep increases our immunity
- sleep appears to help our immune system grow stronger
| - immune cells that fight disease and infections are produced in sleep
84
restoration theory criticisms
- unless we undertake extreme physical activities there is little evidence we need more sleep when we exercise
- the assumption the body rests in sleep // the brain is active in sleep is wrong - there is increased blood flow and energy expenditure in REM sleep
85
age impacts on sleep
- as a guide to sleep teenagers need 9-10 hours
| - a child needs more than an adult
86
lifestyle impacts on sleep
- influences the amount of sleep we need
- people tend to alter their sleep routines as responsibilities, relationships and stressors change with age
- good sleepers are likely to have a regular bedtime and rise time compared to poor sleepers
87
genetics impact on sleep
- influence our sleep wake cycle // females tend to need more sleep than males
88
partial sleep deprivation
people who don't get enough sleep are likely to suffer the effects of partial sleep deprivation
89
partial sleep deprivation psychological effects
affective (feeling)
behavioural
cognitive
90
affective (feeling)
- mood disturbances (amplified emotional responses, confusion and irritability)
- previously enjoyed activities seem boring
- lack of motivation
- feelings of fatigue
91
behavioural
- slowed performance
- clumsiness, injuries
- risk-taking behaviour
- problems performing tasks
92
cognitive
- difficulty paying attention and concentrating
- difficulty processing info
- difficulty thinking and reasoning
- poor decision making
- memory problems
- impaired creativity
- distorted perceptions
93
partial sleep deprivation physiological effects
- slower physical reflexes
- hand tremors
- droopy eyelids
- difficulty following eyes
- a heightened sensitivity to pain
- headaches
- lowered energy levels
94
chronic seep deprivation
defined as not having enough sleep over an extended period of time
- there is increasing evidence chronic sleep deprivation is linked to: depression, hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, heartburn, obesity etc
- after several days of partial sleep deprivation there will be an effect on immunity
- increased levels of cortisol have also been linked to damage of brain cells responsible for learning and memory
95
sleep debt
the accumulated amount of sleep loss from insufficient sleep is known as sleep debt
- not getting sleep night after night adds to the debt
- there is no way to 'bank' up sleep for the future
- usually a few good nights of seep are able to recover
96
total sleep deprivation
in the event where we have to stay up all night we can do it with no serious side effects other than feeling extremely sleepy
97
nights without sleep and associated effects
1: discomfort felt but tolerable
2: urge to sleep especially between 2 and 4pm when the body is at the lowest temperature
3: tasks requiring concentration are seriously impaired especially if they are simple, repetitive or boring
4: periods of microsleep unavoidable, person is irritable and confused
5: may become delusional
6: may be depersonalisation (loss of personal identity and increased difficulty coping with other people)
98
loss of REM sleep
many psychologists believe the high level of brain activity in REM helps learned information to be transferred to LTM
REM can allow the brain to release neurotransmitters responsible for mood moderation
99
REM rebound
- an effect that follows the loss of REM sleep
- when we sleep after being deprived of REM we experience significantly longer time in this stage
- allows our body to catch up quickly
100
loss of NREM sleep
during NREM sleep the body replenishes itself physically and restores body tissues especially with the release of growth hormones
101
effects of sleep deprivation on conciousness
daylight savings
| microsleep
102
daylight savings
it appeared drivers suffered partial sleep deprivation after losing an hour of sleep
- when getting the hour back the extra time appeared to help drivers to overcome partial sleep deprivation
103
microsleep
- as sleep deprivation increases the amount of microsleep increases as well
- microsleeps are an involuntary period in the midst of wakeful activity in which we find it hard to drift off and stop concentrating
- they can assist in overcoming or preventing sleep deprivation
104
sleep vs. bac
17 (h) without sleep is equiv. to 0.05
| 24 (h) without sleep is equiv. to 0.1
105
impacts of BAC on consciousness driving
- difficulty controlling and staying in the same lane position
- difficulty processing and making sense of stimuli
- unable to concentrate on two or more senses at once
- difficulty staying awake
- unable to maintain alertness
- difficulty maintaining balance and coordination
- unable to respond quickly to an event
106
circadian phase disorders
sleep disorders in which a persons' circadian rhythm is disrupted
> adolescent sleep-wake cycles
> shift work
> jet lag
107
adolescent sleep-wake cycles
- teenagers taking longer to wind down at the end of the day
- patterns tend to shift back to normal as they become adults
- the release of the sleep hormone melatonin is often delayed for hours
- the average bedtime is 9:30-10:30 and pushed back for teenagers
- going to bed at 11 and getting up at 7 leaves teenagers an hour short of sleep
- caused by internal (endogenous) factors
108
shift work
- many people who do shift work experience sleep deprivation effects
- caused by external (zeitgener) factors
- if a shift worker cannot adjust appropriately or sleep is interrupted it can result in chronic sleep deprivation leading to a lot of issues
- research is looking into the interplay between shift work and the recovery patterns once shift work has ceased
109
jet lag
- we can experience this when we change time zones
- our sleep wake cycles get disrupted and we find it difficult to adjust or function at our best in the new time zone
- particularly impact when we travel in an eastern direction
- flying through multiple time zones creates greater disruption
- in general, exposure to light in the evening helps you adjust to a later than usual time zone (traveling westward), while exposure to morning light can help you adapt to an earlier time zone faster (traveling eastward)
110
dyssomnias
sleep disorders are any process that disrupts the normal sleep-wake cycle (regulated by circadian rhythm)
- relate to trouble falling and staying asleep
> narcolepsy
> sleep-onset insomnia
111
narcolepsy
- a sleep disorder that causes sudden sleep attacks in the day and it doesn't matter how much sleep someone gets the night before
- people can suddenly lapse into REM sleep and may have REM/dream-like hallucinations
- when fully asleep in the night people with this condition go straight into REM stage sleep
112
sleep onset insomina
- refers to the persistent difficulty in falling asleep within the first 20-30 minutes of trying
- people may also have trouble staying asleep
113
different types of insomnia
sleep onset insomnia
sleep maintenance insomnia (trouble staying asleep)
early morning waking insomnia (trouble waking up too early)
114
sleep onset insomnia
trouble falling asleep in the beginning of the night
- trouble with the quality and quantity of sleep
- at least 3 nights per week for 3 months
- occurs despite adequate opportunity for sleep
- not caused by another sleep disorder or substance
- impairment in everyday functioning
115
chronic insomnia
can occur due to: persistent stress, pain, shift work, changes in habitat, medication and sleep environment
116
sleep onset insomnia effects
- disrupts the sleep wake cycle
- results in a delay in the onset of sleep meaning a person may feel sleepier later in the night and more later in the day
117
parasomnias
sleep disorders characterised by unusual or abnormal behaviour during sleep, the presence of inappropriate physiological and/or psychological activity in sleep
- disrupt the quality and quantity of sleep
- different parasomnias occur in different age groups and gender
> sleep walking
118
sleep walking
aka. somnambulism
- involves walking while asleep and conducting routine tasks
- distinguished by mobility and activity in sleep
- most commonly observed in children
- occurs during stage 3 or 4 NREM (lasts 5-15 min)
- can be calm, moderate or vigorous
- if they are woken up in this they will be highly confused
- most sleepwalkers follow activities that are automatic and require very little conscious effort
119
dyssomnias vs parasomnias (similar)
- sleep disorders
- disrupt sleep/wake cycles
- affects the quality and quantity of sleep
120
dyssomnias differences
- difficulties sleeping
- before falling asleep or maintaining sleep
- concerned with excessive sleepiness
- can be triggered by parasomnias
121
parasomnias differences
- abnormal behaviour during sleep
| - not caused by lack of sleep
122
sleep interventions
bright light therapy
| cognitive behavioural therapy
123
bright light therapy
- the bright light signals to the brains suprachiasmatic nucleus that effectively acts like daylight and adjusts the body clock to stop releasing the melatonin which makes us feel tired
- using bright light is a way to reset the body's internal clock // eyes are exposed to intense amount of light for a specific and regular period of time
- the aim is to shift the individuals body clock to the typical day-night cycle of their environment
- it takes time for the body to adjust to the new cycle (exposure per session is from 15 min to 2 hours)
124
bright light therapy - teenagers
- light exposure generally takes place in the early morning hours for teenagers (6-8) to treat delayed sleep onset
125
bright light therapy - shift work
- using bright light therapy for someone who works shift work to stay awake and alert can help (light therapy would need to be used in the night for night shifts)
126
bright light therapy - jet lag
- may be reduced by adjusting body clock in advance to trigger the brain to think it is day time // using it when you get back can also help you reset
127
cognitive behavioural therapy
a commonly used practice for treating insomnia and aims to create new positive thoughts, feelings and behaviours
- substituting unwanted thoughts, feelings and behaviours with desired ones
- a core assumption of CBT is the way people feel and behave is largely a product of the way they think
128
people often maintain or worsen their sleep problems due to factors such as :
- misunderstandings about insomnia
- unrealistic sleep expectations
- excessive worry or anxiety about sleeping
- apprehensions about daytime impairments
- fear of sleeplessness
129
cognitive componant
recognising and changing dysfunctional thoughts about sleep
encouraged to:
- address anxiety about sleep
- recognise dysfunctional thoughts
- develop and maintain realistic expectations of sleep
- not believe that losing a lights sleep will bring about awful consequences the next day
- not giving much importance to sleep
130
behavioural componant
- develop good sleep habits and avoid behaviours that prevent them from sleeping well
- stimulus control therapy (often insomniacs spend a lot of time trying to go to sleep and this associates the bed with stress and anxiety) // this can strengthen the relationship between the bed and sleep
131
sleep hygiene education
- the term sleep hygiene education involves changing lifestyle habits that influence sleep
- highly effective in helping people with insomnia to establish and maintain a regular sleep routine
- avoiding stimulating activities before bed
- associate bed and bedroom with sleep
- when you can't sleep get up
- don't drink alcohol before bed
- avoid napping
- exercise can promote good sleep
