Consciousness
Type of processing that is fast, automatic, intuitive, and largely unconscious.
System 1 (Automatic Processing)
A stage of sleep characterized by rapid eye movements, vivid dreams, and muscle paralysis.
REM (Rapid Eye Movement) Sleep
A sleep disorder characterized by difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or experiencing restorative sleep
Insomnia
A sleep disorder categorized by people acting out their dreams
REM sleep behavior disorder
The primary hormone linked to sleep, produced by the pineal gland
Melatonin
Type of processing that is slow, effortful, logical, conscious, and often linked to focused concentration.
System 2 (Controlled Processing)
The deepest stage of non-rapid eye movement sleep characterized by the presence of predominantly delta waves.
NREM Stage 3 (N3)
A sleep disorder where sudden “sleep attacks” happen during the day
Narcolepsy
A theory suggesting that dreams play a role in the memory consolidation and processing of memories.
Consolidation Theory
The natural, internal process that regulates the sleep-wake cycle and repeats roughly every 24 hours.
Circadian Rhythm
Mental processes you aren’t aware of but that affect your behavior (e.g., biases, instincts).
Unconscious
This stage is the transition between being awake and asleep where you are still a little aware of your surroundings. You may experience hypnic jerks.
NREM Stage 1 (N1)
A sleep disorder characterized by pauses in breathing or shallow breathing during sleep
Sleep Apnea
A theory proposing that dreams are a reflection of unconscious desires, thoughts, and conflicts.
Freud’s Psychoanalytic Dream Theory
A catchall term for unusual behaviors or experiences during sleep or during transitions between sleep and wakefulness
Parasomnia
Information not currently in your mind but easily retrieved (like remembering your phone number).
Preconscious
Stage of light sleep where brain waves show sleep spindles (short bursts of brain activity) and K-complexes (sudden, sharp waveforms).
NREM Stage 2 (N2)
A sleep disorder where a person suddenly wakes up in a terrified state during deep NREM sleep.
Night Terror
The phenomenon where the body increases the time spent in REM sleep after a period of REM deprivation.
REM Rebound
Combines how we think, feel, and behave (psychology) with neuroscience (how the brain works)
Cognitive Neuroscience
Any awareness that’s different from normal wakefulness, like dreaming, psychoactive drugs, or being hypnotized.
Altered State of Consciousness
These types of brain waves are found in both people that are alert and people in REM sleep
Beta waves
A sleep disorder commonly known as sleepwalking, characterized by walking or performing other activities while still asleep. It typically occurs during non-REM sleep stages and can result in injuries or accidents.
Somnambulism
A theory proposing that dreams are the result of random neural activity in the brainstem during REM sleep, which is then interpreted and synthesized by the cerebral cortex into a narrative or story.
Activation-Synthesis Theory
Located in the hypothalamus, this responds to light signals and acts as the body's "master clock"
The suprachiasmatic nucleus