Different Stages of Sleep

Did you know that quality of sleep changes through five sleep transitions? Doctors and psychologists say that a predictable sleep is a must for good health. The question is, how can a good night’s sleep happen? Knowing the different stages of sleep would be helpful for people suffering from sleep deprivation, interruption, insomnia, stress or worry. Of course there are temporary obstacles to sleep which can be solved. For example, a new born baby in the family or a big exam next day can be the causes. And such issues can be solved with perseverance and patience. Other problems that can disturb sleep may require a managing solution. Knowing the sleep stages and possible causes of sleeplessness will provide us the needed tools to start a readjustment of our sleep patterns.

As mentioned above, sleep quality transitions from one stage to the next. And each stage is followed by subtle changes in bodily functions. As most of you may have guessed, the first stage is drowsiness: Eyes start to shut and the stage lasts approximately ten minutes. The transition goes from being awake to falling asleep with slower breathing. In such a period, we still make a fairly fast response to any interruptions since we are very aware of our physical surroundings. If you are aroused in this stage, you may feel as if you had no sleep at all.

The second stage is light sleep. The eye movement stops and so does the blood pressure and heart rates. Body temperature generally falls and muscles begin to relax. In this stage, you are no longer aware of your surroundings and this can be considered the beginning of real sleep.

The third and fourth stages are followed by deep sleep. Through these two stages your body generates and repairs tissues while developing bone and muscle. The immune system is provided with a boost and restores the lost energies from your day.

The final stage is called Rapid Eye Movement. It is marked with many physiological changes like accelerated respiration, fast brain activity, eye movement and muscle relaxation. During this stage, people may dream due to much brain activity and the paralysis of major muscles in the body. If one wakes up from this stage of sleep, he or she will remember the dream in a vivid fashion.

In order to maintain consistency between sleeping and waking up well, a hot bath or shower, listening to soft music and drinking caffeine-free herbal tea before bed can be helpful. Regular exercise during the day several hours before bed can also be helpful. Lastly, remember that sugar, caffeine and alcohol must be avoided before heading for bed. We all should know the need for uninterrupted, deep sleep. Everyone needs to fall asleep well every night to rejuvenate the energy we need for our daily battles.