What Are the Different States of Consciousness

What Are the Different States of Consciousness Theories Cognitive Psychology Print States of Consciousness Understanding Human Consciousness By Kendra Cherry facebook twitter Kendra Cherry, MS, is an author, educational consultant, and speaker focused on helping students learn about psychology. Learn about our editorial policy Kendra Cherry Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Daniel B. Block, MD on November 25, 2019 twitter linkedin Daniel B. Block, MD, is an award-winning, board-certified psychiatrist who operates a private practice in Pennsylvania. Learn about our Medical Review Board Daniel B. Block, MD on November 25, 2019 Dimitri Vervitsiotis / DigitalVision / Getty Images More in Theories Cognitive Psychology Behavioral Psychology Developmental Psychology Personality Psychology Social Psychology Biological Psychology Psychosocial Psychology In This Article Table of Contents Expand Understanding Consciousness Body Clocks Sleep and Consciousness Hypnosis and Consciousness Drugs and Consciousness View All Back To Top Consciousness is a term used to describe the awareness of your physical and mental experience.?? As you might have already realized, not all forms of awareness are the same. There are a number of different states of human consciousness as well as a variety of things that can have an impact on these states of awareness. Human consciousness is often compared to a stream, constantly changing but always flowing smoothly. Understanding Consciousness Have you ever wondered why you feel more energetic in the morning, tried to analyze your dreams, or questioned how hypnosis works? All of these topics are related to human consciousness, which can be altered in a number of different ways (such as performing holotropic breathwork). How Conscience and Conscious Are Used in Psychology Body Clocks Many people begin the day full of energy but then start to feel run-down by mid-afternoon. Other people struggle to plod through the morning routine only to finally feel energetic in the evening. The daily fluctuations of energy levels are known as the circadian rhythm?? and play an important role in human consciousness.  Sometimes referred to as the bodys clocks, these daily rhythms have a major impact on your consciousness as well as a wide number of physiological states. Understanding these biological and environmental rhythms can tell you a great deal about how body clocks can influence states of consciousness. Sleep and Consciousness Sleep has fascinated researchers, scientists and scholars for thousands of years. Technological innovations during the last century allowed scientists to study sleep in ways that simply werent possible in the past, which has helped lead to a number of theories of sleep. Learn more about why we sleep and some of the most common sleep disorders: Why Do We Sleep? Dreams and Consciousness At some point in your life, you have probably had a truly baffling dream that left you wondering, What did that mean? Learn more about some of the research on dream characteristics, theories and interpretations:?? The Characteristics of DreamsWhy Do We Dream?Dream Interpretations Hypnosis and Consciousness Hypnosis?? has been used for a number of purposes including pain management and weight loss. Is hypnosis really an effective therapeutic tool? Click the following link to find out the answer to this question and many others about hypnosis. What Is the Unconscious? Drugs and Consciousness Psychoactive drugs can be used to treat serious medical conditions, but they can also lead to addictions and social problems. Learn more about how these drugs affect human consciousness in this overview of some of the most common psychoactive drugs. Final Thoughts States of consciousness play an important role in our everyday experience.?? In order to see how consciousness works, it helps to understand how consciousness can be influenced by the bodys natural processes, sleep, disorders, and substances.