The Different Sleep Cycles
The human body cycles through two phases of sleep. One is REM sleep, which stands for Rapid eye movement. And then the other is NREM, which stands for non-rapid eye movement.
Each phase of sleep includes variations in muscle tones, brain wave patterns, and eye movements. The stages of sleep are wake, light sleep, deep sleep, REM sleep, and then repeat.
REM Sleep
REM sleep is the sleep that occurs at intervals during the night and is characterized by rapid eye movements, more vivid dreaming, and more bodily movements. This sleep also can cause the pulse to be faster and breathing to be faster. REM sleep happens about an hour to an hour and a half after falling asleep. REM sleep is when you tend to have vivid dreams.
NREM Sleep
Non-REM sleep happens first and includes three stages of sleep, which are called N1, N2, and N3. The last two stages of NREM sleep are when you sleep deeply causing it hard to wake up from this stage. During Non-REM sleep your body builds muscle and bone, repairs and regenerates tissues, and strengthens the immune system. Unfortunately, as you age, you get less non-REM sleep.
Why do we need sleep?
There are many reasons why we need sleep. We need sleep in order to help us grow, to help our nervous system function properly, survive, and lastly because it helps our general well-being.
Sleep is essential for young children and young people to help cell growth and repair any damage to our bodies. A lack of sleep affects our memory, performance, and ability to think clearly. When someone is severely sleep-deprived, it can cause mood swings or even hallucinations in extreme cases. Sleep is vital to helping our brain strengthen itself and improves our thinking ability. People who don’t get enough sleep are at a higher risk of developing health conditions like obesity or heart problems. So just remember to make sure you give yourself the sleep your body and brain need. Put on some soothing music, dim the lights, silence your phone, and get some sleep!