What Are States of Consciousness?
Human consciousness is often compared to a streamit is constantly changing, but always flowing smoothly.
Two common states of awareness exist: conscious and unconscious.
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This is often referred to as a person’s state of consciousness.
Reaching an altered state of consciousness can also be achieved through various types of meditation and mind-body practices.
Conversely, when exposed to a stimulant, a person can experience a heightened level of awareness.
For example, 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 rhythmand play an important role in human consciousness.
Different types of drugs work by altering your state of consciousness in various ways.
3 States of Consciousness
People can be in many different states of consciousness.
Three states of consciousness to consider are sleeping, dreaming, and hypnosis.
Sleeping
Sleep has fascinated researchers, scientists, and scholars for thousands of years.
Research ondream characteristics, theories, and interpretations links your ability to dream to your state of consciousness.
Although, in reality, they are actually processing their thoughts through a deep, focused awareness.
Hypnosishas been used for a number of purposes including pain management and weight loss.
Research also shows that hypnosis can be an effective treatment for different types of anxiety and pain.
There is no real consensus as to how many states of consciousness exist.
This is, in part, because consciousness is multifaceted, and assessing levels of consciousness can be difficult.
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