The Different Stages of Sleep: Explained
We all know the feeling: waking up in the morning after a good night's sleep feeling refreshed and energized. But what actually happens when we sleep? It turns out that our brains experience several different stages throughout the night—REM sleep, deep sleep, and light sleep—each with its own unique characteristics. In this blog post, we'll take a look at how each of these stages affects us and how to make sure you're getting enough of each. If you are wondering how to track your sleep, there are various fitness trackers like the Whoop Band, Oura Ring, Apple Watch, and FitBit that you would have to wear while you are asleep in order to collect this sort of data.
REM Sleep
If you’ve ever woken up feeling like a zombie, it might be because you didn’t get enough REM sleep. REM stands for rapid eye movement sleep and is the deepest type of sleep that your body needs to function at its best. We may not realize it, but getting REM sleep can have some pretty beneficial effects on our mental and physical health. Let’s break down why REM sleep is so important.
REM sleep occurs when we enter the deepest type of sleep cycle and it is when we dream. Usually, the first cycle begins 90 minutes after falling asleep and then cycles repeat throughout the night. During this type of sleep, brain activity increases as does breathing rate, heart rate, and blood pressure. This helps us process information better and aids in memory recall during waking hours.
REM has been linked to improved creativity, problem solving abilities, better decision making skills and even improved moods. It's also been known to help reduce stress levels while helping people stay alert and focused during the day. That said, if you don't get enough REM or if your quality of rest is poor then you may suffer from fatigue or difficulty concentrating during the day. This can affect both physical performance as well as mental clarity which could lead to poorer performance at work or school.
Rem also plays an important role in maintaining your physical health since it helps reduce inflammation in the body which can lead to a decrease in chronic pain related conditions such as arthritis or fibromyalgia. Additionally, studies have shown that people who get more than 7 hours of quality rest are less likely to develop certain diseases such as diabetes or high blood pressure, so make sure that you're getting enough high-quality rest each night!
Getting enough quality rest through deep REM sleep is essential for both mental and physical wellbeing. Not only will this help improve cognitive functions such as creativity, problem solving abilities and decision making skills, but it can also help reduce inflammation in the body which can lead to fewer chronic pain related conditions. So next time you find yourself struggling with focus or concentration during the day—thank your REM for helping keep you energized! With its many benefits for both mental and physical health, investing in a good night's rest should be a priority for everyone!
Deep Sleep
Deep sleep is the second stage in which our breathing slows down significantly and our muscles relax even more than they do during REM sleep. Blood pressure drops, as does body temperature, making it harder to wake up during this stage than any other. Deep sleep helps promote growth and development in children, but adults need it too; it’s essential for restoring energy levels so that we can feel refreshed when we wake up in the morning.
Deep sleep, also known as Slow Wave Sleep (SWS), is the deepest stage of non-REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep, which typically lasts between 90-120 minutes each night. During this stage, the body slows down to its lowest metabolic rate and begins to repair itself by releasing hormones such as melatonin and cortisol while simultaneously restoring energy levels and boosting immunity. The brain also deactivates most sensory experiences during SWS, which helps explain why it can be difficult to get out of bed after a particularly deep slumber.
The benefits associated with deep sleep are numerous. It helps restore energy levels, improve memory retention and recall, reduce stress levels, boost concentration, promote better skin health, regulate hormones like insulin and cortisol in the body, strengthen immunity against illness or infection, reduce inflammation throughout the body, increase alertness during waking hours, decrease anxiety levels…the list goes on! Simply put: getting enough quality deep sleep can make you feel better both physically and mentally.
So how do you get more deep sleep? Here are some tips that can help: Go to bed at the same time every night; avoid screens before bedtime; create a calming nighttime routine; practice relaxation techniques like yoga or meditation; exercise regularly; limit caffeine intake; cut back on sugar intake; avoid alcohol before bedtime; create a comfortable sleeping environment by keeping your bedroom cool and dark. While these tips won't guarantee a full night's restful slumber every single night (life happens!), they will help enhance your overall quality of life by ensuring that you wake up refreshed each morning.
Deep sleep plays an important role in our overall wellbeing—and yet it's often overlooked by those trying to get better restful nights' sleeps. By understanding what constitutes deep sleep—and how we can encourage our bodies to enter this state—we can enjoy all the benefits associated with SWS without having to worry about feeling exhausted come morning time! So don't forget to prioritize your nightly shut-eye—you'll thank yourself in the long run!
Light Sleep
Light sleeping is the third stage of slumber during which our breathing becomes lighter and our muscles start to tense up again as we prepare to wake up. This stage is important because it allows us to remain alert yet relaxed during moments when we may be awoken by external noises or changes in environment such as a shift in temperature or light levels coming through a window or door opening/closing suddenly. If you’ve ever woken up abruptly but not been startled awake due to noise or movement, then you have likely experienced light sleeping first-hand!
Light sleep is any time spent in bed that doesn't involve deep or REM sleep. It typically occurs right after you drift off and right before you wake up in the morning. During this time, your body isn't getting the same kind of restorative rest that it does when you're in a deep state of slumber, but it can still provide some surprising benefits.
One major benefit of light sleep is that it can help reduce stress levels. When we experience stress, our brains release hormones like cortisol and adrenaline which can make it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep if we do manage to drift off. The lighter stage of sleep helps keep these hormones at bay by providing our bodies with just enough rest to keep us going through stressful times without disrupting our circadian rhythm too much.
Another benefit of light sleep is that it can help boost creative thinking and problem solving abilities during the day. Studies have found that people who take naps or engage in light sleep tend to have better concentration throughout the day, which allows them to think more clearly and come up with solutions more quickly than those who are continually exhausted from lack of quality restful sleep. Finally, light sleep has been found to improve alertness during the day, helping us stay focused on tasks instead of getting tired quickly or feeling sluggish throughout the day.
Light sleeping provides numerous benefits such as reducing stress levels, boosting creativity, improving alertness and aiding problem solving abilities without having to completely disrupt your regular routine. So next time you’re feeling overwhelmed or exhausted, try taking a quick nap or engaging in some light sleeping—you won’t regret it!
Everyone needs different amounts of REM, deep, and light sleeps depending on their age and lifestyle habits; there are no hard-and-fast rules for how much time should be spent in each phase of rest every night! That being said, getting adequate amounts of each type of slumber can help ensure optimal physical and mental functioning throughout the day - so make sure you have a good nighttime routine set up that will help you get enough quality shut-eye every night! Understanding how each type of rest affects us can help us better understand how much restful slumber we need - so now that you know what's going on behind those eyelids while each type of rest takes place, why not try implementing some strategies today?
If you have any great sleeping tips, leave them in the comments below! I personally love wearing a sleep mask!