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Into the waves of the nicht1/2/2024 Dreams can occur in any sleep stage, but they are less common and intense in the NREM periods. REM sleep is known for the most vivid dreams, which is explained by the significant uptick in brain activity. REM sleep is believed to be essential to cognitive functions like memory, learning, and creativity. Even though the eyes are closed, they can be seen moving quickly, which is how this stage gets its name. At the same time, the body experiences atonia, which is a temporary paralysis of the muscles, with two exceptions: the eyes and the muscles that control breathing. REM Sleep Patternsĭuring REM sleep, brain activity picks up, nearing levels seen when you’re awake. As you continue sleeping, these stages get shorter, and more time gets spent in REM sleep instead. During the early sleep cycles, N3 stages commonly last for 20-40 minutes. We spend the most time in deep sleep during the first half of the night. Even though brain activity is reduced, there is evidence that deep sleep contributes to insightful thinking, creativity, and memory. It may also bolster the immune system and other key bodily processes. For this reason, stage 3 may also be called delta sleep or slow-wave sleep (SWS).Įxperts believe that this stage is critical to restorative sleep, allowing for bodily recovery and growth. The brain activity during this period has an identifiable pattern of what are known as delta waves. Muscle tone, pulse, and breathing rate decrease in N3 sleep as the body relaxes even further. Stage 3 sleep is also known as deep sleep, and it is harder to wake someone up if they are in this phase. Collectively, a person typically spends about half their sleep time in N2 sleep. Stage 2 sleep can last for 10-25 minutes during the first sleep cycle, and each N2 stage can become longer during the night. On the whole, brain activity slows, but there are short bursts of activity that actually help resist being woken up by external stimuli. At the same time, brain waves show a new pattern and eye movement stops. Stage 2 / N2ĭuring stage 2, the body enters a more subdued state including a drop in temperature, relaxed muscles, and slowed breathing and heart rate. As the night unfolds, an uninterrupted sleeper may not spend much more time in stage 1 as they move through further sleep cycles. It’s easy to wake someone up during this sleep stage, but if a person isn’t disturbed, they can move quickly into stage 2. There are light changes in brain activity associated with falling asleep in this stage. Stage 1 is essentially the “dozing off” stage, and it normally lasts just one to five minutes.ĭuring N1 sleep, the body hasn’t fully relaxed, though the body and brain activities start to slow with periods of brief movements (twitches). The higher the stage of NREM sleep, the harder it is to wake a person up from their slumber. NREM sleep is composed of three different stages. These stages are determined based on an analysis of brain activity during sleep, which shows distinct patterns that characterize each stage. There are four sleep stages one for rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and three that form non-REM (NREM) sleep. Sleep cycles can vary from person to person and from night to night based on a wide range of factors such as age, recent sleep patterns, and alcohol consumption. In addition, the composition of each cycle - how much time is spent in each sleep stage - changes as the night goes along. The first sleep cycle is often the shortest, ranging from 70-100 minutes, while later cycles tend to fall between 90 and 120 minutes. It is normal for sleep cycles to change as you progress through your nightly sleep. Not all sleep cycles are the same length, but on average they last about 90 minutes each. In a typical night, a person goes through four to six sleep cycles. Instead, over the course of the night, your total sleep is made up of several rounds of the sleep cycle, which is composed of four individual stages. Understanding the sleep cycle also helps explain how certain sleep disorders, including insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea can impact a person’s sleep and health. Progressing smoothly multiple times through the sleep cycle, composed of four separate sleep stages, is a vital part of getting truly high-quality rest.Įach sleep stage plays a part in allowing your mind and body to wake up refreshed. It’s also critical to think about sleep quality and whether the time spent sleeping is actually restorative. While sleep duration is undoubtedly important, it’s not the only part of the equation. When thinking about getting the sleep you need, it’s normal to focus on how many hours of sleep you get.
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