The Different Stages Of Sleep

The Different Stages Of Sleep

The Different Stages Of Sleep

For almost all of history, "sleep" was thought to be nothing more than "not awake". It was plainly a period that you simply weren't conscious and mostly established itself at night time. Now, because of pioneering research done over the last few decades, sleep is now recognized as a critical element of human health and is made up of a number of components, or stages, that were not previously known.

Actually, sleep happens in very distinctive phases that continually cycle during the entire sleeping period. The amount of rest that you will get is a function of both overall time spent in sleep AND the amount of all the distinct stages as well. Hardly being unaware or unconscious, the human brain remains active during the entire sleeping period and each one of the various phases of sleep is measured by way of a unique pattern of brain waves.

At its most basic, sleep is made up of two basic parts known as Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep and non-REM sleep and that is sub-divided into four extra stages.

Most frequently we start sleeping in what is known as "stage 1 non-REM" sleep. During this part of the sleep cycle, sleep isn't deep and you're easily awakened by disturbances. Physically, during this stage, eye movements are very slow plus there is little or no muscular activity.

Next, you enter "stage 2 non-REM' sleep. In stage 2, eye motion stop entirely and your brain waves slow with intermittent flare ups of faster waves.

Now you enter "stage 3 non-REM" sleep. This stage is marked by even slower brain wave activity, nevertheless with very occasional spates of heightened activity.

By the point "stage 4 non-REM" sleep arrives the brain is creating even slower brain waves almost exclusively.

Stages 3 and 4 are looked upon as "deep" sleep and it is hard to be woken up. It is this part of the sleep cycle which is viewed as probably the most restorative overall and most essential to be well rested and energetic during the following day.

In "REM" sleep, the eyes shift rapidly behind closed eyelids and breathing is more shallow, and fast. Also, one's heart rate and blood pressure increase plus your extremities are paralyzed briefly to prevent acting out the dreaming that is most prevalent while in the REM stage.

The first REM stage occurs about 90 minutes after dropping off to sleep and this cycle of REM and non-REM repeat continuously through the night.

As the night wears on REM stages become longer and stages 3 and 4 of non-REM sleep become correspondingly reduced so, in the morning, you will have spent the majority of your rest time in stages 1 and 2 non-REM sleep and in REM sleep as well.

With regards to percentages, stages 1 and 2 non-REM sleep make up almost 50% of sleep time, stages 3 and 4 and REM sleep are about 25% each.

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