Question

Psychologists have discovered that human beings experience several different states of consciousness during the course of a day. For example, people have times when they are especially alert and times when they are awake but not alert, often called "daydreaming." Also, while people are asleep, they experience different stages of sleep, each characterized by different patterns of brain and bodily activity.

In a multi-paragraph essay, discuss the different states of consciousness that you have experienced in the past 24 hours, including any periods when you were asleep, alert, or "daydreaming." Be sure to describe both the brain and bodily activity you experienced during each state of consciousness. Include information from class materials, readings, and research on states of consciousness to support your discussion

Answer 1

In my last 24 hours, I have gone through several levels off consciousness. They are in line with what research states about each consciousness. They are cited one by one below.

1. Alertness - My day started early morning when I woke up at 6 am. My consciousness was that of very much alertness. I had a complete sense of what I was doing and what my plans were for the day. my brain and body was totally active and under my control. This continued for around 4 hours.

2. Daydreaming - After around 4hours of alertness, that is around 10 am ,my brain activity slowed down a bit and I started daydreaming about pleasant experiences which were full of imagination of a beautiful world and away from reality. I had beautiful mental pictures of aan ideal world and what I wanted from life was fulfiled. It was a beautiful fantasy world and my body and mind were very much relaxed. This continued for a couple of hours.

3. Drowsiness - Post lunch aound 1 pm, I felt a bit drowsy. Body was a bit lethargic to be honest and mind was half asleep. It continued for half an hour.

4. Light Sleep - I felt the need to take a small nap as I was feeling sleepy. So I just slept lightly for around 45 minutes. Mind and body were relaxed.

5. Wakefulness - I was alert and wakeful once again as I was refreshed after a light sleep.Mind and body were very active once again. This continued till 9pm.

6. Drowsiness - At around 9 pm post dinner, I felt drowsy again and this continued for round 45 minutes.

7. Light Sleep - Around 10 pm, I was off to bed and it started of with a light sleep for 45 minutes.

8. Deep Sleep - At around 10.45 pm I experienced deep sleep and my body and mind were totally put to rest. This was Non REM sleep, that is sleep without deams, where my body's temperature and heart rate fell and my brain experienced slow wave or deep sleep. This continued for around 90 minutes.

11. REM Sleep - At around 12.15-12.30 am, I had the deepest sleep and experienced REM, that is rapid eye movement sleep when dreams started coming. This is when my anabolic response to my body was high and my body started to restore my immune, nervous, skeletal and muscular systems. This continued for around 90 minutes.

12. Then my mind switched cycles from REM to Non REM and vice versa in around 90 minutes cycles all throught out the night and finally I woke up again in the morning.