Sleep. It’s something we all do. Some more than others, but what is sleep? Why do we need it? Sleep may seem like a simple, routine act, but its much deeper than getting your beauty rest. Sleep is so important for functioning and partaking in daily activities. During sleep, the body’s immune system repairs itself and sleep is necessary for the nervous system to function properly. Growth hormones release during sleep, and that is why children and teens need extra sleep during their younger years. Although we can use caffeine or sugar to keep ourselves artificially energized, nothing beats the restorative quality of sleep. Hopefully, understanding sleep as you will do here can help as a reminder for sleep’s role in our quality of life.
Stages of sleep: . Throughout the night, the body passes through 5 stages of sleep. These five stages are Non Rapid Eye Movement sleep, NREM, and Rapid Eye Movement sleep, REM. NREM sleep has 4 stages, 1, 2, 3,and 4, while REM sleep has only one. Most of our sleep is spent in stage 2 NREM, about 50% and REM sleep, about 30 %, and the other 20% is spent in stages 1, 3 and 4.
- NREM Stage 1: This is the lightest stage of sleep. During this stage it is easy to be woke up as the body is drifting in and out of sleep.
- NREM Stage 2: Eye movement stops and brain waves become slower during this stage.
- NREM Stage 3: Extremely slow brain waves appear during this stage, with occasional smaller faster waves.
- NREM Stage 4: Extremely slow brain waves are abundant in Stage 4, and this stage is characterized as deep sleep. It is much more difficult to awake someone during this stage of sleep.
- REM: This stage is different than NREM sleep as the brain becomes very active and the eyes move back and forth, hence the name rapid-eye movement. During REM sleep, the limbs become temporarily paralyzed and dreams occur.
All 5 stages of sleep cycle throughout the night. Each cycle takes about 60-90 minutes, starting with stage 1 and ending with REM sleep. The cycle keeps repeating itself until you awake.
How much sleep do you need: Sleep varies person to person, though there are recommended hours dependent on age group. While infants need about 16 hours of sleep each night, a middle-aged adult only needs about 7-8, and an elderly person needs even less.
Sleep Disorders: Sleep is important and without it, the body can suffer. Almost 40 million American suffer from sleep related disorders each year.
- Sleep Apnea: Sleep Apnea is when the windpipes collapse during breathing, and thus interrupts sleep. This cycle can be repeated throughout the night resulting in an insufficient night’s sleep. Some signs to look out for are snoring, obesity and being excessively sleepy during the daytime.
- Insomnia: Insomnia is when it’s difficult to fall and stay asleep. Many people suffer from insomnia at one point in their lives but some more severe than others. Insomnia can effect performance and responsiveness such as operating a vehicle safely. It is usually caused by stress, diet and may also be a result of jet-lag.
Tips for a better night’s sleep:
- Avoid caffeine before bed: Caffeine is a stimulant and can interrupt sleep.
- Exercise daily: Getting 20-30 minutes of exercise each day can result in a better night’s sleep.
- Set a sleep schedule: Try going to bed and waking up at the same time each day. This helps the body get into a consistent sleep pattern.
- Control room temperature: Sleep is greatly effected by room temperature and disruption of sleep can occur if a room is too hot, or too cold. Try keeping your room at a comfortable temperature.
Do you suffer from sleep disorders? Share your experience with us!
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