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Electrophysiological correlates of higher states of consciousness during sleep in long-term practitioners of the transcendental meditation program

Faculty Advisor

Date

1997

Keywords

consciousness states, meditation, sleep

Abstract (summary)

Standard ambulatory night sleep EEG of 11 long-term practitioners of transcendental meditation reporting higher states of consciousness during sleep (the experimental group) was compared with that of 9 short-term practitioners and 11 nonpractitioners (all Ss aged 21–50 yrs). EEG tracings during Stages 3 and 4 sleep show that experimental Ss had theta-alpha activity simultaneously with delta activity and decreased chin EMG during deep sleep compared with short-term controls. In the 1st 3 cycles, experimental Ss had significantly greater theta2 (6–8 Hz)-alpha1 (8–10 Hz) relative power during Stages 3 and 4 than did the combined control groups. There was a graded difference across groups during Stages 3 and 4 in theta2–alpha1 power. Experimental Ss also had increased REM density during REM periods relative to short-term controls.

Publication Information

Mason, L. I., Alexander, C. N., Travis, F. T., Marsh, G., Orme-Johnson, D. W., Gackenbach, J., & ... Walton, K. G. (1997). Electrophysiological correlates of higher states of consciousness during sleep in long-term practitioners of the transcendental meditation program. Sleep: Journal of Sleep Research & Sleep Medicine, 20(2), 102-110. Retrieved from http://www.journalsleep.org/

DOI

Notes

Item Type

Article

Language

English

Rights

All Rights Reserved