Sleep cycles and their importance.

A quick introduction.

There are two main types of sleep - non-REM and REM sleep. Each sleep cycle passes through different stages of these:

Non-REM sleep:

- Stage 1 (light sleep): Transitioning from wakefulness, light dozing. Eyes move slowly, muscle activity slows, and you can be easily awoken.

- Stage 2 (true sleep onset): Heart rate and breathing regulate, body temp drops. Becoming disengaged from surroundings.

- Stages 3 and 4 (deep sleep): Extremely slow brainwaves known as delta waves. Very difficult to be woken up. Body repairs and regrows tissue, builds bone/muscle, strengthens immunity.

REM sleep:

- REM stands for rapid eye movement. Brain activity increases, eyes move quickly. Intense dreaming occurs. Body becomes immobile and relaxed as muscles turn off. Helps consolidate memory and learning.

The sleep cycle lasts around 90 minutes as we cycle through the stages. We typically enter deep sleep earlier in the night and have longer REM cycles later.

Most studies show that deep, slow-wave sleep (stages 3 and 4) is the most important phase. It's the restorative part where the body resets and rejuvenates, leading to improved mental and physical performance. Getting sufficient deep sleep should be the priority if you have limited sleeping time. REM is still important for cognitive function.

In summary, aim for adequate deep sleep followed by sufficient REM sleep for optimal health, brain function and performance. Prioritize slow-wave, deep sleep earlier in your sleep schedule if possible.

Hope you enjoyed. Stay gold!!👊👊👊