Altered+States

=__**Psychobiology of Altered States of Awareness**__=

**__Circadian Rhythm__**

 * Cycles of the body over 24 hours
 * Sleep/wake cycle
 * Body temperature regulation
 * Secretion of hormones - especially growth

An example of the sleep/wake circadian rhythm is when light is detected by the retinas, a stop in the production of melatonin occurs - which controls alertness, causing the person to wake up.

**__Stages of Sleep__**

 * Brain activity is measured by an EEG
 * Different brain waves are associated with different stages of sleep
 * 5 different stages of sleep, which we cycle through about 3-5 times a night

There are two main types of sleep - **Non-REM**, and **REM**
 * __Non-REM__**
 * Stage 1 Sleep
 * Theta waves
 * Lasts up to 5 mins
 * Slower breathing and heart rate
 * Easily woken from
 * Stage 2
 * Lasts 20-30 mins
 * Still easily woken
 * Spindles - spikes in brain activity
 * Stage 3
 * Delta waves start to appear
 * Not as easily woken as earlier stages
 * Stage 4
 * About 30 mins
 * Deep sleep
 * Prominent delta waves
 * Slow wave sleep (SWS)


 * __REM__**
 * Stage 5
 * Initial REM period lasts a few minutes - progressively getting longer to around 40-60 mins
 * Heart rate, temperature and respiration increase
 * Non-REM intervals get shorter
 * Low voltage, high frequency brain waves
 * Similar to awake


 * __Awake Stages__**
 * Awake
 * Low voltage high frequency beta waves - similar to REM sleep
 * Drowsy
 * Alpha waves prominent

**__Purposes of Sleep__**

 * __Energy Conservation__**
 * Less energy used during sleep - body doesn't work as hard
 * Evidenced by lower body temperature during sleep
 * Metabolic Rate is lower


 * __Repair and Restoration__**
 * Cell repair, immune-system strengthening and muscle waste removal occurs
 * Sleep deprivation causes more illnesses


 * __Memory Consolidation__**
 * Allows memories to be stored logically and in an accessible way
 * Important to attain time in all stages of sleep - imporves ability to perform spatial tasks

**__Sleep Deprivation__**

 * Is when the required amount of sleep required for optimal function is not attained
 * Illnesses more frequent in those suffering from sleep deprivation
 * Effects of deprivation include
 * Daytime sleepiness
 * Poor concentration
 * Microsleeps (Brief sleeps lasting for seconds or minutes)
 * Hand Tremors
 * Etc.
 * Serious Effects include
 * Tension
 * Mood swings
 * Illusions
 * Paranoia


 * __Jet Lag__**
 * A result of travelling from one time zone to another
 * On average, it takes 1 day to recover for every time zone traversed
 * Athletes will often travel to destination one or more days in advance


 * __Shift Work__**
 * In order to get a decent sleep, shift workers need to do the following
 * Establish a routine leading to sleep
 * Organise a dark room
 * White noise or electrical appliances help to establish sleeping environment
 * Maintain schedule to get used to routine
 * Better to rotate shifts forwards not backwards
 * Wear sunglasses during the day
 * Use of bright lights helpful for waking up at night
 * It is unethical to constantly change a shift worker's shifts constantly
 * Allow at least a week before changing shift times

**__Sleep Disorders__**

 * __Sleep Apnoea__**
 * Symptoms
 * Short stoppages of breathing during sleep
 * Can cause high blood pressure and irregular heart beat
 * Blockages of airways
 * Tiredness
 * Causes
 * Being overweight
 * Some drugs
 * 40+ year old men who are overweight are the most prone
 * Treatments
 * Weight loss
 * Avoiding drugs
 * Sleeping on side
 * Nasal decongestants


 * __Narcolepsy__**
 * Symptoms
 * Irresistable and unpredictable attacks of daytime sleepiness
 * Reduced muscle tension due to tiredness
 * Causes
 * Possibly genetic, but causes are not well known
 * Treatments
 * Medication
 * Taking scheduled naps throughout the day
 * Avoid alcohol and other drugs


 * __Insomnia__**
 * Symptoms
 * Reduction in amount and quality of sleep
 * Fatigue
 * Impaired concentration
 * Not being able to sleep
 * Early waking
 * Causes
 * Excessive stress and anxiety
 * Inactivity
 * Caffeine and smoking
 * Noise and light - common to shift workers

__**Psychological Interventions for Insomnia**__
 * Stimulus Control Therapy
 * Recondition bed with sleep
 * Ensures sleep is the only thing done in bed
 * Don't spend more than 10 mins trying to sleep in bed - get up and walk around
 * Get up at same time every morning
 * No daytime naps
 * Sleep Restriction Therapy
 * Limits the amount of time spent in bed/sleep
 * Increases sleep debt, causing tiredness
 * Steadily increase amount of time allowed in bed
 * No naps
 * Repeat process until desired amount of sleep is attained

**__Sleep Hygiene__**

 * Avoid
 * Exercising close to bedtime
 * Eating after 8PM
 * Excessive amounts of caffiene
 * Too much light and extreme temperatures
 * Too much time in bed/napping
 * Constantly changing sleep schedules
 * Do
 * Establish a bedtime and wake-up time
 * Quiet environment, maybe with white noise of electrical appliance (fan)
 * Implement a winding down routine (shower before bed, etc.)
 * Resolve worries before going to bed

**__Cannon's Fight of Flight Response__**
The release of hormones, adrenaline, etc. during a fight or flight scenario causes the following responses
 * Physiological Arousal
 * Increased heart rate
 * Increase in respiration
 * Rise in temp
 * Sweat
 * Slow of digestion
 * etc.
 * Psychological Arousal
 * Increases psychological alertness to a perceived threat

**__Yerke/Dodson's Law of Arousal and Performance__**

 * A little stress is good, too much is bad
 * Simple tasks require a higher level of arousal for optimal performance
 * Complex tasks are the opposite
 * Is plotted according to the arousal/performance bell curve

**__Stress__**

 * Is the body's response to demands placed upon it
 * Caused by our perception of events around us


 * __Side-effects of too much stress__**
 * Low productivity
 * Anger
 * Lack of concentration
 * Anxiety
 * Panic attacks
 * Depression
 * High blood pressure
 * Lower immune system
 * Etc.
 * __Managing Stress__**
 * Exercising 20 mins a day
 * Healthy diet
 * At least 7 hours of sleep a night
 * Good social support
 * Use of humour
 * Develop problem-solving strategies
 * Avoid stressors by planning ahead

**__Psychological Interventions for Coping With Stress__**
 * Cognitive Therapy
 * Emotion focused - assumes thoughts are behind stress
 * Change negative thoughts into positive ones
 * Gain self-understanding about one's negative thinking
 * Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
 * Combines cognitive therapy with behaviour therapy (changing of behaviours)
 * The change in behaviour helps to create skills and strategies to better deal with stress
 * Problem-solving strategies to cope with stressful situations
 * With panic attacks, breathing exercises may be used to deal with breathlessness and rationalisation behind the panic attack


 * __Ethical Issues__**
 * Need to ensure participants are fully aware and informed when agreeing to participate in investigations
 * Minimise harm and distress caused to participants