Humanity has always sought to take control of the work of its mind. Various types of meditation, autogenic training and similar practices are aimed at consciously controlling mental processes that occur in an ordinary state without the participation of conscious control. The main thing in this business is not to overdo it and not harm yourself.
Instructions
Step 1
Is it possible to turn off some brain functions in order to more fully use its capabilities? The works of foreign researchers show that often the shutdown of the brain can occur voluntarily, without direct control from the side of the person. How dangerous is it?
Step 2
Thus, it has been established that hypnodeprivation, in other words, sleep deprivation even for one day can lead to unstable brain function. With the brain, about the same thing happens as when the voltage drops in the electrical network. Being susceptible to stops, the brain, when a person is deprived of sleep, can uncontrollably go from short-term lapses to a state of sleep and back to wakefulness.
Step 3
According to David Dinges, at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, the picture of brain activity during sleep deprivation suggests that the person is as if at almost the same time asleep and awake. Switching from one state of consciousness to another is extremely fast.
Step 4
The researcher draws the following analogy: let's say you are in a room and are watching a fascinating movie with the lights on. If the brain works stably, then the light is on constantly. The brain of a person deprived of sleep for a long time works as if the lights were suddenly extinguished.
Step 5
These studies led scientists to the conclusion that sleep deprivation leads to an alternation of periods of normal brain functioning and unpredictable gaps. At some moments, functions such as attention and visual perception are turned off.
Step 6
One study involved brain scans of adults performing a series of simple tasks to maintain steady visual attention. Measurements were carried out both in a state when the subjects were well rested (slept) and in a state of night sleep deprivation. The method of magnetic resonance imaging was used, which makes it possible to measure the picture of blood flow in various parts of the brain.
Step 7
The experiment revealed significant cuts in blood flow to certain areas of the brain. This, apparently, indicates the shutdown of certain functional areas, that is, systemic malfunctions in the brain. Such changes, however, never took place when the subjects got enough sleep before the experiment.
Step 8
These studies clearly demonstrate that the conscious or involuntary deprivation of sleep can lead to undesirable consequences, or, simply put, turn off the brain. This condition can cause troubles and emergencies if human activity is associated with the management of technical means. So, turning off the attention and the visual analyzer for a few seconds by the driver of a vehicle can lead to a traffic accident.
