
So is an individual in a coma or someone who has fainted. Unconsciousness is marked by an inability to respond to external stimuli, no awareness of the self and the environment, and no evidence of language comprehension or expression – it is a state of unresponsiveness (Massimini et al., 2009).Ī sleeping person, for example, is in a state of unconsciousness. The preconscious mind consists of thoughts that are currently outside of conscious awareness but are available for recall and capable of becoming conscious (Freud & Strachey, 1984). The conscious state of awareness is classified as being aware of and responsive to one’s surroundings (wakefulness). Though research reveals that it is much more complicated, the levels of consciousness can be thought of in three components: conscious, preconscious, unconscious, as originally defined by Sigmund Freud. However, during sleep, these neural circuits are inhibited, our muscles are completely relaxed, and our body becomes completely inactive (Schwartz & Roth, 2008). Put simply, sleep is a state of perceptual disengagement from and unresponsiveness to the environment, marked by unique physiological and behavioral processes (Carskadon & Rechtschaffen, 2011).ĭuring wakefulness, certain neurons fire in our brain, making us aroused and alert. REM sleep is defined by rapid eye movements and an almost complete paralysis of the body, and a tendency to dream.

Stage two is characterized by further slowing of both the heartbeat and breathing, and the brain begins to produce bursts of rapid, rhythmic brain wave activity known as sleep spindles.

Stage 2 non-REM sleep is a period of light sleep before you enter deeper sleep, lasts roughly 20 minutes.Typically lasts less than 10 minutes and is marked by a slowing of your heartbeat, breathing, and eye movements, as well as the relaxation of your muscles.

Stage 1 non-REM sleep marks the transition from wakefulness to sleep.The five stages make one sleep cycle which usually repeat every 90 to 110 minutes. There are five different stages of sleep including both REM (rapid eye movement) and NREM (non-rapid eye movement) sleep.
