Consciousness, Sleep and Dream
Sanzeeda Munir Prova
Lecturer, Psychology
BRAC University
Meaning of Consciousness
1. Sensory awareness
2. Selective attention
3. Direct inner awareness
4. Consciousness as personal unity: The Sense of Self
5. Consciousness as the waking state
Stages of Consciousness
Preconscious In psychodynamic theory, descriptive of material that is
not in awareness but can be brought into awareness by focusing one’s
attention.
Unconscious In psychodynamic theory, descriptive of ideas and
feelings that are not available to awareness.
Repression In psychodynamic theory, the automatic (unconscious) ejection of
anxiety-evoking ideas, impulses, or images from awareness.
Suppression The deliberate, or conscious, placing of certain ideas, impulses, or
images out of awareness.
Nonconscious Descriptive of bodily processes, such as growing hair,
of which we cannot become conscious. We may “recognize” that our
hair is growing but cannot directly experience the biological process.
Limits of attention
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bnnmWYI0lM
Check yours!
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Sleep
Stages
Non-REM Sleep (Stages 1-4)
Stage 1 (N1):
• Lightest stage of sleep, lasting just a few minutes.
• Easy to wake from, the body begins to relax, low eye movements
• Hypnagogic State: brief dreamlike images
Stage 2 (N2):
• Slightly deeper sleep; heart rate and body temperature drop.
• Sleep spindles (brief bursts of brain activity) occur, aiding memory.
• Accounts for about 50% of total sleep in adults.
Stage 3 & 4 (N3 & N4):
• Deepest non-REM sleep; also called slow-wave or delta sleep.
• Essential for physical restoration, immune function, and growth.
• Difficult to wake from (N4); if awakened, you may feel groggy or
disoriented.
REM Sleep (Stage 5)
• Occurs about 90 minutes after falling asleep, with cycles
getting longer throughout the night.
• Characterized by rapid eye movements, increased brain
activity, and vivid dreaming.
• The body is mostly paralyzed to prevent acting out dreams.
• Essential for cognitive functions like memory consolidation,
learning, and mood regulation
Sleep Cycle Overview
• Adults typically go through 4-6 sleep cycles per
night, each lasting about 90-120 minutes.
• Cycles consist of both non-REM and REM stages,
with REM periods lengthening as the night
progresses.
Functions of Sleep
Purpose of Sleep: Sleep is believed to rejuvenate the body, aid in stress
recovery, support memory and learning consolidation, and promote brain
development in infants.
Effects of Sleep Deprivation: Lack of sleep can leave people feeling exhausted
and mentally impaired. Pulling “all-nighters” may allow students to function the
next day, but it impairs attention, learning, and memory over time.
Sleep and Driving: Sleep deprivation significantly increases the risk of
vehicular accidents. Studies show early morning driving (around 4:00 a.m.) is
especially hazardous due to sleepiness, even without alcohol or poor lighting
factors.
Coping with Sleep Deficit: Many people compensate for weekday sleep loss by
sleeping in or napping on weekends.
Dreams
1. Dreams as Reflections of “Day’s Residues”
2. Dreams as Expressions of Unconscious Desires
3. Dreams as Protectors of Sleep
4. The Activation–Synthesis Theory of Dreams
5. Dreams as Aids in Memory Consolidation
Dreams
The Activation–Synthesis Theory of Dreams
According to this theory, dreams are not deeply meaningful or symbolic but are
rather a by-product of the brain's natural activity.
Here's how the process works under this model:
1. Activation: During REM sleep, the brainstem generates random electrical
impulses that stimulate different areas of the brain, including regions associated
with emotions, memories, and sensory experiences.
2. Synthesis: The brain, especially the cortex (the thinking part), attempts to create
a coherent narrative from this random activity. It combines and synthesizes these
fragmented signals into a “story” or sequence of images and events—what we
experience as dreams.
Please study!
Psychology is not an all-nighter subject!
