Introduction to States of Consciousness
Chapter Outline
- What Is Consciousness?
- Sleep and Why We Sleep
- Stages of Sleep
- Sleep Problems and Disorders
- Drugs and Altered Consciousness
- Other States of Consciousness
Our lives involve regular, dramatic changes in the degree to which we are aware of our surroundings and our internal states. While awake, we feel alert and aware of the many important things going on around us. Our experiences change dramatically while we are in deep sleep and once again when we are dreaming. Some people also experience altered states of consciousness through meditation, hypnosis, or alcohol and other drugs.
This chapter will discuss states of consciousness with a particular emphasis on sleep. The different stages of sleep will be identified, and sleep disorders will be described. The chapter will close with discussions of altered states of consciousness produced by psychoactive drugs, hypnosis, and meditation.