Sleeping what is it




















The second is light sleep, when heart rate and breathing regulate and body temperature drops. The third and fourth stages are deep sleep.

Though REM sleep was previously believed to be the most important sleep phase for learning and memory, newer data suggests that non-REM sleep is more important for these tasks, as well as being the more restful and restorative phase of sleep. As you cycle into REM sleep , the eyes move rapidly behind closed lids, and brain waves are similar to those during wakefulness. Breath rate increases and the body becomes temporarily paralyzed as we dream.

The cycle then repeats itself, but with each cycle you spend less time in the deeper stages three and four of sleep and more time in REM sleep. Johns Hopkins sleep expert and neurologist Mark Wu, M. A similar sleep gene exists in both humans and mice. Scientists continue to study this gene in hopes of understanding more about how processes within our cells affect our ability to sleep. According to Wu, there are two main processes that regulate sleep: circadian rhythms and sleep drive.

Brain Basics: Understanding Sleep. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Are You Getting Enough Sleep? Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Heart, Blood and Lung Institute. Sleep Deprivation and Deficiency. Physiological Reviews, 93 2 , — Schwab, R. Overview of Sleep. Eugene, A. The Neuroprotective Aspects of Sleep. MEDTube Science, 3 1 , 35— Learn more about How Sleep Works.

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As with breathing, heart rate begins to slow during Stage 1 and reaches its slowest pace during Stage 3. On the other hand, during REM sleep, the pulse quickens to nearly the same rate as when awake. During the REM stage, most muscles are paralyzed in a condition known as atonia. This keeps the legs and arms from flailing in response to dream content.

Respiratory and eye muscles stay active, though, and the darting of the eyes behind closed eyelids is the inspiration for the name rapid eye movement sleep. When measured during sleep, brain waves show clear patterns associated with each sleep stage. In the early parts of non-REM sleep, brain waves slow down considerably; however, in Stage 2 and Stage 3, there are numerous quick bursts of brain activity.

In REM sleep, brain activity accelerates, showing markedly different types of brain waves. Heightened brain activity is why REM sleep is known as the stage most associated with vivid dreaming. REM sleep is thought to enable critical cognitive abilities , including memory consolidation, but non-REM sleep, even with reduced brain activity, is also believed to play a role in facilitating proper brain function while awake.

Dreaming is most prevalent and intense during REM sleep, but it can occur during any sleep stage. Hormone levels fluctuate during different sleep stages, and quality of sleep may also affect daytime hormone production. When you have sleeping problems, you may not get the restorative benefits that come from what normally happens during sleep. The specific effects depend on the type of sleeping problem and its cause.

People with insomnia have a hard time falling asleep or staying asleep for as long as they want to, which means that they get insufficient total sleep.

As a result, they may not progress through enough sleep cycles to get proper rest, leading to daytime sleepiness as well as negative effects on mood and thinking. Sleep deprivation, which often occurs with insomnia, can throw off the balance of sleep architecture.

For example, after going without enough sleep, people often experience a REM sleep rebound , spending a disproportionate amount of time in REM sleep. This can cause too much brain activity, which in turn can leave you feeling irritable and may worsen mental health issues like anxiety and depression. Sleep disorders can negatively affect what happens when you sleep.

For example, restless leg syndrome or disrupted breathing from sleep apnea can cause frequent awakenings that interrupt the normal sleep cycle, reducing restorative sleep. Circadian rhythm sleep-wake disorders can lead to insufficient sleep or abnormal sleep architecture. Hypersomnia is a condition marked by sleeping too much.

People with hypersomnia often experience excessive daytime sleepiness and may find it hard to stay awake when they need to. Studies indicate that hypersomnia is associated with changes in sleep architecture , such as a reduction in deep sleep and an increase in NREM sleep, which may affect overall sleep quality.

Eric Suni has over a decade of experience as a science writer and was previously an information specialist for the National Cancer Institute. A nighttime cough is the cold symptom most likely to interfere with sleep. Learn how to sleep with a cough…. Learn more about the causes and underlying mechanisms of REM rebound, a phenomenon in which a person temporarily experiences more…. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website.

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Our editors and medical experts rigorously evaluate every article and guide to ensure the information is factual, up-to-date, and free of bias. Updated October 30, Written by Eric Suni. Medically Reviewed by Ealena Callendar. Related Reading. Sign up below for your free gift. Your privacy is important to us. Was this article helpful? Yes No. Sleep spindles. Current biology : CB, 28 19 , R—R Natural Patterns of Sleep.



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