Sleeping Disorders: The Five Stages Of Sleep

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At night as we fall asleep, our body goes through several different stages. These stages consist of light and deep sleep. There are around 5 stages in a cycle and we go through four to five cycles every single night. Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 3, Stage 4, and last REM (rapid eye movement) You do not go straight from deep sleep to REM (rapid eye movement). The first couple cycles have a shorter time in REM and longer deep sleep. Later on in the night, you have a longer time in the REM stage and shorter time in deep sleep. However, you never go straight from deep sleep to the REM stage. You actually go from light sleep to deep, back to light, and finally to REM. A full cycle lasts anywhere between 100-120 minutes but the first cycle on lasts about 90 minutes. Each stage takes anywhere between 5-15 minutes.
Stage one is the stage right as you begin to fall asleep. Therefore, it would be considered light sleep. During this stage, it is very easy to wake up but eye movement and muscle activity begin to slow down. Most people experience something called muscle contraction which could make them feel like they are falling. The next …show more content…

They are both considered 3 or N3 because they are both so similar. In stage three, it is most common for Parasomnias (sleepwalking, night terrors, sleep talking, and bedwetting) to occur. Delta waves, which are slow brain waves, begin being distributed with other waves that are smaller and faster. There are honestly only two things different in stage four. More delta waves are produced as the deep sleep lengthens. and anyone who is awoken during this time may feel discombobulated. Deep sleep is immensely important to humans. It is during deep sleep that your body restores the most. That is why it is important not to take long naps during the day. If they last long enough, you will begin going into deep sleep and your body will start to restore, making it harder to fall asleep at

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