Categories >> Treatments >> Sleep
Good sleep has become increasingly recognized as a key component of wellness. Sleep is a period of rest that involves changes in brain activity, breathing, heart rate, and body temperature. There are two types of sleep: non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and rapid eye movement (REM). Sleep is regulated by circadian rhythms and the interplay of sleep-promoting and wakefulness-maintaining processes. [1, 2, 3]
Sleep stages [4]
• N1: The first stage of sleep, when a person first falls asleep. This stage is characterized by light brain activity and brief movements. [4]
• N2: The second stage of NREM sleep. [5]
• N3: The third stage of NREM sleep. [5]
• REM: The stage of sleep characterized by rapid eye movement. [3]
Sleep functions [6]
• Energy conservation and storage: Sleep allows cells to resupply and stock up on resources for the next day.
• Self-repair and recovery: Sleep makes it easier for the body to heal injuries and repair issues.
• Brain maintenance: Sleep helps the brain reorganize and catalog memories and learned information.
Sleep cycles [5]
• A typical night’s sleep consists of 4 to 5 sleep cycles.
• A complete sleep cycle takes roughly 90 to 110 minutes.
• The first REM period is short, and as the night progresses, longer periods of REM occur.
[1] https://sleep.hms.harvard.edu/education-training/public-education/sleep-and-health-education-program/sleep-health-education-47
[2] https://www.wakehealth.edu/specialty/s/sleep-medicine/sleep-explained
[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK19956/
[4] https://www.sleepfoundation.org/stages-of-sleep
[5] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK526132/%5B6%5D
[6] https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/12148-sleep-basics