SLEEP.FACTS @sleep-stages-blog - Tumblr Blog

There are two main types of sleep:

Non-Rapid Eye Movement (NREM) Sleep (also known as quiet sleep

Rapid Eye Movement (REM) Sleep (also known asactive sleep or paradoxical sleep

Why do we need sleep?

When people sleep their body has a chance to rest, allowing it to prepare for the next coming day. Sleeping gives the brain a chance to sort any information out. Skipping just one nights sleep is bad for the body, a person will become cranky and clumsy. After two nights a person will have problems completing simple daily tasks. After a person has not slept for five nights they may begin to experience hallucinations. The brain will eventually shut the body down, forcing a person to sleep.

"Mirror neurons are cells in the brain that are thought to influence imitation in humans and some other animals. Essentially, these neurons are active both when the person or animal performs an action and also when they witness someone else performing that same action."

-Psychology Today.com

STAGE 1

Stage one is obviously the first stage int he sleeping cycle of a human, it is a very light stage of sleep. Stage one is the transition period in between being awake and sleeping. During stage one a person's brain will begin to produce a large amount of theta waves. Theta waves are very slow brain waves. Stage one will only last for around five to ten minutes in total. This stage of sleep is so light that if were to wake someone in this stage they may report that they weren't actually asleep.

STAGE 2

Stage two in a persons sleep cycle will lasts for approximately twenty minutes but will vary from person to person. In this stage the brain will start to produce rapid brain wave activity, also known as sleep spindles. A persons body temperature will begin to decrease at this stage and their heart rate will slow.

"Teenagers need that extra hour of sleep in the morning." – Dr. Maninder Kalra

STAGE 3

During this stage delta waves begin to emerge (these are slow brain waves). Stage three is known as the transition between light sleep and very deep sleep.

STAGE 4 - DELTA SLEEP

Stage four in the sleeping cycle in also known as delta sleep, because during this stage slow brain waves that are also known as delta waves occur. When a person is in stage four of their sleeping cycle they are in a very deep sleep that will last for approximately thirty minutes at a time. Bed-wetting and sleep walking will normally occur at the end of this stage.

STAGE 5 - REM SLEEP

This section on sleep is known as REM sleep, rapid eye movement sleep. During this part most of our dreaming happens. While we are in REM sleep all of our muscles become incredibly relaxed, while our brain becomes far more active, this is why we dream. REM sleep is always the last stage during sleep before the stages repeat themselves. Each stage will usually be repeat four to five times every night. REM sleep begins approximately ninety minutes after a person has fallen asleep and the more the REM sleep stage is repeated throughout the night, the longer it becomes.

Average Sleep Needs (hrs)

Newborns (0-2 months) = 12 - 18

Infants (3 months to 1 year) = 14 - 15

Toddlers (1 to 3 years) = 12 - 14

Preschoolers (3 to 5 years) = 11 - 13

School-aged children (5 to 12 years) = 10 - 11

Teens and preteens (12 to 18 years) = 8.5 - 10

Adults (18+) = 7.5 - 9

http://universe-review.ca/I10-47-stages.jpg

www.helpguide.org

Myths and Facts about Sleep

Myth 1: Getting just 1 hour less sleep per night won’t effect your daytime functioning. You may not be noticeably sleepy during the day. But even slightly less sleep can affect your ability to think properly and respond quickly, and compromise your cardiovascular health, energy balance, and ability to fight infections.

Myth 2: Your body adjusts quickly to different sleep schedules. Most people can reset their biological clock, but only by appropriately timed cues—and even then, by 1–2 hours per day at best. Consequently, it can take more than a week to adjust after traveling across several time zones or switching to the night shift.

Myth 3: Extra sleep at night can cure you of problems with excessive daytime fatigue. Not only is the quantity of sleep important but also the quality of sleep. Some people sleep 8 or 9 hours a night but don’t feel well rested when they wake up because the quality of their sleep is poor.

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