Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Essay on stages of sleep
Effects of sleep on the brain essay
Essay on stages of sleep
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: Essay on stages of sleep
Sleeping is an act that every single person in the world partakes in every night. Getting into bed and then waiting for sleep to overcome the mind is a natural thing to do but not everyone understand the reasons behind why sleeping is a part of everyday life. What happens during sleep is more complicated than simply just falling asleep. The topic of sleep was not well researched until the 20th century when it was discovered that the brain is very active during sleep. When one begins the journey to unconsciousness, two phases are of sleep are entered: Rapid Eye Movement (REM) and Non-Rapid Eye Movement (NREM). Within each of these phases are separate stages that form a complete sleep cycle which is around 90 minutes and each night, depending on how much sleep is obtained, one generally goes through 4-6 cycles (Turner, “Why Do We Sleep? Modern Theories of Sleep”). …show more content…
In stage 1 NREM sleep, a person starts to lose muscle tone and this is the reason for the sudden twitching and jerking of the body. A person also begins to lose self-awareness and will have hypnagogic hallucinations. Stage 2 NREM sleep is when a person’s muscle tone is almost all lost and sleep paralysis begins to take over the body. With Stage 3 NREM sleep, a person enters a stage where no dreaming occurs but where sleepwalking is possible. Stage 4 NREM sleep is the deepest form of sleep out of all of the four stages. REM sleep is the very last stage where your muscles begin to twitch and most of your dreams take place. (Turner, “Why Do We Sleep? Modern Theories of
Sleep is a way to conserve energy, is restorative, centers on the role of sleep in brain plasticity, and can enhance your memory. Insomnia is a sleep disorder which an individual can have problems falling asleep, waking up during the night, or waking up to early. Another is Somnambulism, which is sleepwalking or sleep talking. Nightmares are a frightening dream that awakens a dreamer from REM sleep.
Before discussing the role of NREM and REM in learning, it is necessary to clarify the identity of and differences between the two. This type of sleep is marked by different stages based on different the different brainwaves exhibited. REM sleep differs from NREM in that most dreams occur during REM sleep although the two activities are not synonymous. REM is also marked by an incre...
As we all know, sleep is an important part of our lives. Without the proper amounts and type of sleep, fatigue and other problems can arise. Generally, we can clearly distinguish between a sleeping person and a person that is awake. With sleeping disorders, the distinction between an awake person and a sleeping person becomes more intriguing. What is the difference, how does it relate to the I-function and consciousness? Each sleeping disorder has its own unique answer to this question. It is essential to understand sleep to fully appreciate it. However, many aspects of it remain a mystery. We do have some degree of understanding of sleep. Within our sleep cycle a type of unusual sleep occurs, REM sleep. During this cycle the periods of REM sleep are interspersed with slow wave sleep in alternation. Each period of REM sleep (there are usually 4 or 5 periods a night) lasts for approximately 5 to 30 minutes. During these periods a sleep paradox occurs. An enormous amount of brain activity takes place; this is sometimes even more activity then when awake. This clearly indicates that sleep is not simply to rest our mind and not to think. So, during this period our brains are extremely active, yet there is usually no input or output. During this period, along with the random eye movement (REM), there is a complete loss of muscle tone. Essentially, at this point, the motor system is paralyzed (normally the body inhibits any movement). The autonomic nervous system also alters its behavior. The regulation of body temperature is lost and the blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rates shows increased variability. REM sleep can be detected by measuring the electrical activity of the brain with an electroencephalogram. At this point, the EEG will show the same pattern of activity as when the brain is awake.
Sleep is defined as a period of reduced activity in which an individual’s response to his/her environment is decreased (Healthy Sleep, n.d.) The body undergoes fluctuations in brain wave activity, breathing, heart rate and other functions. These changes occur during two main stages of sleep. Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep is the stage in which dreaming typically occurs and absorption of newly learned information takes place. The deep restorative sleep known as slow-wave sleep consolidates memories (Healthy Sleep, n.d.) Recent studies have found that some individuals may not experience both stages of sleep. This can contribute to problems in learning, memory and brain restoration.
Though many may not often think about why we sleep, most of us know that sleep makes us feel better, it refreshes the body and makes it better able to function following a good night of sleep. However, the fact that sleep makes us feel better and that going without sleep makes us feel worse only begins to explain why we need sleep.
Getting sufficient sleep is a basic human need and is vital for life. According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, sleep is a high priority for survival. Having enough sleep is therefore important to restore body and brain functions, preserve energy, maintain general well-being and prevent illnesses.
There are five stages of sleep. The first stage is when one prepares to drift off. During this stage, one experiences Alpha and Theta waves. This stage generally lasts five to ten minutes. The second stage lasts about twenty minutes. The brain begins to produce short periods of rhythmic brain waves known as Sleep Spindles. Body temperature begins to drop and the heart rates slows down. During stage three, slow waves
Nothing feels quite like waking up refreshed and ready to tackle the day ahead of you. However, while we all know how important sleep is, many of us still struggle to fall asleep at night. Moreover, I am willing to wager that many of us also always seem to wake up fatigued, no matter how long we have slept. If you have trouble sleeping it is possible that you may have one of several common sleeping disorders.
Sleep is a behavioral state characterized by little physical activity and almost no awareness of the outside world. Sleep is actually made up of two separate and distinctly different states called REM sleep (rapid eye movement) and NREM sleep (non-rapid eye movement). With NREM sleep it is further divided into stage 1-4 based on the size and the speed of the brain waves. Step one is the stage when you drift off to sleep or doze off. For example people doze off in class because you are bored and have nothing to do but listen to the teacher talk. Some parents may call it a cat nape when their kids go to sleep for about ten minutes or so. The second stage is called an intermediate stage of sleep. That is when
Because sleep is vital to our well-being, we have to make sure to get an enough quality sleep at the right times as it helps to protect our mental and physical health, quality of life and safety.
The four stages of sleep are REM (rapid eye movement sleep), NREM1 (non-rem), NREM2, and NREM3. During the REM stage “your heart rate rises, your breathing becomes rapid and irregular, and every half-minute or so your eyes dart around in momentary burst of activity behind closed lids” (Myers, 2014, p. 96).
Getting enough sleep can increase our chances of being more mentally/physically healthy and our safety throughout the day. How we feel throughout the day is depending on our sleep. Lack of sleep can lead to impaired judgment and actions, which can be a safety hazard towards yourself and your surroundings. When we sleep, our bodies are working to revitalize the brain to form new pathways to help with memory functions and our physical health such as healing repair heart and blood vessels and hormone balance. It is very important for everyone to maintain a good night’s rest to maintain daytime performance and lower stress. Sleep will reduce the levels of stress, help others gain control on their actions and avoid depression. Contributing to these sleep benefits will change your body and mind
We depend on sleep each and everyday in order to be able to interact throughout the day. Sleep is very important if you want to socialize with people or feel real good. It is very important in order to live a healthy life. It really gives you energy so you won’t crash. Sleep is a very important part of physical and mental health through the day.
Sleep is very important for human beings. Sleeping means taking rest for every person and each person spends one-third of his lifetime sleeping. Without sleeping, no one can exist in this world. Sleeping is essential for a person’s health and well-being throughout his life. Getting enough quality sleep at the right times helps all people protect their mental health, physical health and safety. A person who does not get enough sleep might suffer from mental disorders, diseases and even harmful situations. Therefore, it is important for every human being to have enough sleep.
As one goes to bed at night, the body’s daily functions begin to change. The muscles relax, the mind lets go and sleep begins. This moment is where the real fun begins.