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Alpha waves
The brainwave pattern prominent in an awake relaxed state. These brainwaves have a lower frequency then beta waves and greater amplitude then beta waves.
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Altered States of Consciousness (ASC)
any state other than normal waking consciousness. characterised by perceptual and cognitive distortions, distortion in time orientation, heightened or supressed emotional responses, increased or decreased physiological changes and changes in self control.
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Attention
The process whereby we selectively focus on and respond to certain external stimuli while ignoring other stimuli
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Awareness
A subjective condition of being cognisant of something, from internal states or feelings to external stimuli
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Beta Waves
The brainwave pattern prominent in an awake alert state. These brainwaves have a higher frequency then alpha waves and lower amplitude then alpha waves.
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Cognition
Mental ability which is generally focuses on processing information on an abstract level; such as thinking, reasoning, planning, memory and perception
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Brain waves
The electrical discharges of the living brain as recorded by the Electroencephalograph (EEG). They are measured in terms of frequency and amplitude.
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Conciousness
The awareness of ones mental activity, including thoughts, sensation and feelings.
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Content limitations
Our ability to controll the substance of what is contained within our thoughts.
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Controlled processes
Proceedures needing higher levels of awreness. often complex tasks that require focused attention.
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Daydream
An altered state of conciousness involving a shift of ones attention to self-generated thoughts and images, away from external stimuli.
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Deep sleep
NREM Stage 3&4 sleep
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Delta Waves
The brainwave pattern prominent in a state of deep sleep. These brainwaves have a lower frequency then Theta waves and greater amplitude then Theta waves.
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Nightime dreaming
The mental activity that takes place during sleep. during dreaming there is increased electrical activity in the brain. Dreaming often occurs in REM sleep but also occurs in NREM but are not remembered and often short and disjointed.
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Electrocardiogram (ECG)
A device that detects records and amplifies changes in heart rate. This can be used to measure different states of conciousness.
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Electroencephalograph (EEG)
A device that detects records and amplifies changes in electrical impulses produced by active neurons in the brain. These can be used to detect the progression of sleep in an individual.
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Electromyograph (EMG)
A device that detects records and amplifies muscular tention.
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Elecrooculargram (EOG)
A device that detects records and amplifies movement in muscles surrounding eyes.
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Galvanic Skin Respnse (GSR)
A measure of the electrical conductivity of the skin due to the activity of the sweat glands. Altered states of conciousness may lead to alterations in the level of arousal.
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Hypersomnia
A sleep disorder in which an individual is excessively sleepy, and ussually sleeps over 12 hours a night.
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Hypnic Jerk
a reflex muscle twitch throughout the body that occurs when one is falling asleep (occur in NREM stage 1 sleep)
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hypnogogic state
a relaxed dreamlike state with vivid images which may occur just before one enters NREM stage 1 sleep
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Insomnia
A sleep disorder where an individual has the chronic problem of not being able to obtain sufficient sleep due to not being able to fall asleep, stay asleep or waking prematurely.
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K complexes
A characteristic of NREM Stage 2 sleep brainwave patterns indicated by single short bursts of high amplitude brainwave
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Meditation
A proceedure which employes mental excercise to achieve an artificially occuring altered state of conciousness
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Microsleep
a short period of drowsiness or sleeping which intrudes into the waking state, ussually an effect of sleep deprivation
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Night terror
A form of sleep phenomenon occuring in NREM (ussually stage 3&4) in which an individual awakes in an upset or highly aroused state yet be unable to recall what ocured once awake.
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Nightmare
A frightening dream that occurs during REM sleep and is ussually remembered upon awakening
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Normal Waking Conciousness (NWC)
A state in which one is aware of their thoughts, feelings,memories and sensations experienced form the environment.
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NREM Sleep
stages of sleep that are not associated with rapid eye movement. in which there is little dreaming and an individual is able to move
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REM sleep/
Paradoxical sleep
A stage in the sleep cycle in which electrical brain activity is characterised as erratic and similar to beta waves. during this stage there are bursts of rapid eye movements and the body is relaxed tot he point of paralysis
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Self-control
our ability to knowingly and voluntarily direct our own actions.
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Sleep
An ASC marked by reduced metabolism and lowered conciousness and consisting of 5 stages each of which are marked different physilogical resposes in blainwave patterns, change in HR, body temperature, muscle tension and the presence or absence of rapid eye movement
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sleep apnea
a sleep disorder in which there is a temporary cessation of breathing lasting from 30secs to 2 mins
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Sleep Deprivataion
A lack of sleep leading to lethargy, irratability and loss of concentration
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Sleep Disorder
Sleep problems which interferes with the normal NREM-REM sleep cycles
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Sleep Phenomena
Observable eventsa which occur during sleep, and which could have the capacity to disrupt sleep
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sleep spindles
Brief bursts of high frequency activity occuring in NREM stage 2 sleep, indication ons is falling asleep
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Sleep Talking/ somniloquy
A sleep phenomenon involving the verbalisation occuring duvring NREM sleep.
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Sleep Walking/ somnumbulism
A sleep phenomonon involving an individual walking or performing simple tasks whilst asleep. This occurs in NREM stages 3&4 sleep
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State of conciousness
An individual's level of mental awareness of sensations, perceptions, memories and feelings.
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Theta Waves
The brainwave pattern prominent in a state of light sleep but is also present in NREM stage 3 sleep. These brainwaves have a lower frequency then Alpha waves and greater amplitude then Alpha waves.
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Time Orientation
The ability to percieve the passage of time. In NWC we experience a normal progression in time and in ASC this is distorted.
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