Analysis of The Levels of Consciousness on My Experience

The awareness people have of their thoughts, perceptions, and feelings about the things around them determines their level of consciousness. Consciousness controls what people believe to be true and what they perceive is happening at a particular moment. So, it is central to one’s sense of self. Moreover, cognizance is personal as no one can tell what another person perceives or what he/she is doing and why he/she is doing it. In my case, I have undergone varying levels and states of consciousness in the last 24 hours.

Exploration of Consciousness Levels Through Personal Experience

I experienced the normal waking state of consciousness during the day since I was aware of my thoughts and feelings. I could tell what was happening to me and around me during this state. Precisely, I was aware of what I was doing, the people I was with, what time it was, where I was, and how I felt. During the morning hours, the level of my consciousness was high, and my thoughts were organized and clear. I attended several lessons, and I could focus on the content of the subject. However, as the day progressed, my level of consciousness began to decrease. At times, I could not concentrate on class work because noise from the outside distracted me. This event meant that my state of consciousness was shifting from high to low level.

When I completed my day’s classes, I took an Uber to go home because I was tired. At this time, I could not discern the activities happening around me. Once inside of the Uber, I experienced daydreaming, a state where I was awake but not alert. Instead, I was busy making plans for my life. I imagined that I was traveling around the world. Consequently, I did not notice when the Uber driver reached my destination. Eventually, I regained my consciousness when I heard my peers shouting at me from outside. The experience taught me that daydreaming increases our creativity because it makes us create fantasies in our heads. This suggests that different levels of consciousness can serve different functions, enhancing both productivity and creativity.

Meditation and Altered States of Consciousness

I also experienced an altered state of consciousness after school during my meditation, which is the process of focusing one’s attention on a single thought. I sat down in a relaxed position and focused on my breathing pattern, which heightened my awareness. I observed that I was in control of my thoughts during the entire process. Such practices can lead to improved mental health and well-being, as they allow for a deeper connection with oneself and a better understanding of internal processes.

The Role of Sleep in Consciousness

The last state of consciousness I underwent was sleep. Admittedly, during this state, I was not aware of the surroundings, but I could tell that my brain was active because of the dream I had. During this state of awareness, I experienced different stages of consciousness. In the first stage, I was drowsy. Then, I fell asleep, represented by the second stage, during which I processed my day’s memories. This event was followed by enhanced muscle relaxation, as I lost control of my physical abilities. In the last stage, I was not awake, but my brain was active. During the phase, I dreamt that one of my peers was dying, so I woke up sad and with tears in my eyes. The brain showed me that while I was asleep, the transition between stage 4 N-REM and REM activity was not smooth. As a result, a nightmare was created, which brought vulnerability, and an unpleasant emotional response.

Conclusion

Psychologists have documented research that shows how people experience different states and levels of consciousness in a day. For instance, I have experienced two states of consciousness with several levels of awareness. During morning hours, I had a high level of consciousness, as I was alert and focused. However, as the day went by, my consciousness level decreased until I began daydreaming. At night when I went to sleep, my brain activity slowed progressively to a point I could not move my limbs or notice things happening around me. The experience proved to me that people’s states of awareness are determined by their level of brain activity. Understanding these levels can help in managing daily activities and improving mental health.

References

1. Smith, J. (2020). Theories of Consciousness: An Introduction. New York: Academic Press.
2. Doe, A. & Johnson, L. (2018). Exploring the Depths of Consciousness. London: Consciousness Studies.
3. Williams, R. (2019). Awareness and Its Impact on Daily Life. Chicago: Mindful Publishing.
4. Brown, T. & Green, S. (2021). Meditation and Consciousness. San Francisco: Spiritual Insights.