Consciousness

B. Biologically, humans are “preprogrammed” to have one major sleep cycle at night and another short one in mid-afternoon. In some cultures, a Siesta is the norm, while in other cultures, people are expected to remain awake all day. Other cultures may emphasize practices that lead to sleep deprivation, such as working long hours, socializing until late at night, and getting up early in the morning. What attitudes does your culture have toward sleep?

C. Do you think that seeking altered states of consciousness is “natural”? What altered states does our culture accept? About which states is it ambivalent? What altered states does it clearly reject? How do you think such differences developed?

D. Diagnose and recommend appropriate treatment for the following, taking into account that more information would likely be needed to confirm the diagnosis (physical exam, sleep studies, etc.)

John is exhausted all the time, which is odd, because he falls asleep every night at 10 pm, like clockwork, and doesn’t wake until 6:00 am the next day. He says that other than his wife complaining that his snores could wake the dead, he doesn’t think he has a sleep problem. What is John most likely suffering from and what treatment would you recommend?
Minette’s five-year-old son, Darrell, has been waking up every night around 11 pm, screaming and crying. When she tries to get him to calm down and tell her what’s wrong, he can’t. She blames the scary movies he’s been watching at a friend’s house. What might Darrell be experiencing and what treatment would you recommend? 3.Anya has been under a lot of stress lately—they’ve been letting people go at work and she’s afraid she’s next. Though she’s very tired, she tosses and turns until she finally falls asleep after a couple of hours in bed. What sleep disorder is Anya likely to be diagnosed with and what treatment would you recommend?
Ramses thinks he gets plenty of sleep at night, and doesn’t feel particularly tired, but he loses consciousness throughout the day. Just last night, his girlfriend told him he either buys her an engagement ring or else she will leave him, and he fainted. When he woke up he was terrified to find his body paralyzed—until she slapped him out of it. What might be wrong with Ramses and what treatment would you recommend?
Annabelle doesn’t have a set bedtime, but when she goes to sleep, she usually falls asleep right away. However, after about four hours, she’s done sleeping. She makes the most of her time by working out, writing emails and catching up on her reading. Other than feeling a little lonely at times, she’s well rested and has no problems with memory. What might Annabelle be experiencing and what treatment would you recommend?D.

Solution Preview

A. Suppose your job requires you to work shifts and that, every four weeks, you will be switched to a different shift. What are the challenges you are likely to face and what might make switching to a different shift easier? Many organizations now operate a twenty-four-hour shop entailing people to work in shifts. It has been brought about by the change to a twenty-four-hour economy brought about by the industrial revolution. The employer does management of the variations hence the employee has little option but to comply with the changes in shifts.

(1,149 words)