The Sleep Cycle and Stages
You know, when it comes to sleep, it’s not just about hitting the pillow and waking up the next morning feeling refreshed. There’s actually a lot more going on beneath the surface, and it’s all about this fascinating thing called the sleep cycle.
So, here’s the deal: the sleep cycle is like a pattern that our bodies follow while we’re snoozing. It’s split into two main types of sleep: Rapid Eye Movement (REM) and Non-Rapid Eye Movement (NREM). A full cycle takes around 90 minutes and has a mix of these stages.
As mentioned in the previous lesson, sleep provides a great deal of benefits for our body. Most of us need around eight hours of ‘good sleep’. Good sleep is effectively the most important stage of sleep. There are four main stages of sleep, split up into two categories.
NREM – None Rapid Eye Movement
REM – Rapid Eye Movement
During NREM sleep, the body builds bone and muscle, repairs an regenerates tissue and strengthens the immune system. There are three stages of NREM sleep. The first stage lasts only a few minutes, the second can usually last anywhere from 10-60 minutes, and the third, also known as Slow-Wave-Sleep or Deep Sleep usually lasts 20-40 minutes. This is usually hard to wake up from. As you age, you get more NREM sleep than REM sleep.
During REM sleep your body goes through a series of changes. These include faster breathing, increased heart rate and blood pressure and, as the name suggest, rapid eye movement. Similar to stage 2 of NREM sleep, this stage can usually last anywhere between 10-60 minutes.
During both NREM and REM sleep, we help ourselves.
GROWTH – Growth hormones are released as well as proteins needed for cell repairs.
NREVOUS SYSTEM FUNCTION – Lack of sleep effects our memory. It can also lead to mood-swings and hallucinations. A good night sleep strengthens our brain and our thinking capability.
SURVIVAL – Research has shown that a deficiency of REM sleep can reduce lifespan. Sleep equals life.
WELL-BEING – Health issues arise when sleep is not taken seriously. Heart problems, obesity and diabetes are all medical issues that can be caused by a lack of sleep.