Did you know that your body goes through four stages of sleep? As you sleep, your body cycles through those four stages. Sleep cycles vary throughout the night, with the shortest at the beginning of the night, typically lasting between 70 to 100 minutes. Later on, sleep cycles can last between 90 to 120 minutes.
Each of the four stages of sleep serves a purpose. Stage 1 is the lightest stage and occurs when you first fall asleep. Stage 1 allows your body to slow down and begin the process of relaxation. It is easy to be awakened, and if so, you have to repeat stage 1 until you’re asleep. If you stay asleep, your body will move into Stage 2.
During Stage 2, your muscles relax, body temperature drops, your heart rate and breathing both slow down. Brain activity also slows down in stage 2. During the first sleep cycle, stage 2 might last 10-25 minutes and each stage 2 later on, may become longer. Sleep experts estimate that a person generally spends half of a night’s sleep in stage 2.1
Stage 3 is where you get the deepest sleep. This stage is especially important because during deep sleep, your body recovers and grows. In other words, stage 3 is when your body experiences restorative sleep and the immune system and other major bodily processes are strengthened.2 Stage 3 is also known as delta sleep or slow-wave sleep, due to the identifiable pattern of brain activity. Muscle tone, pulse and breathing rate all decrease, and although brain activity slows, there is evidence that deep sleep contributes to insightful thinking, creativity and memory.3
During the early sleep cycles, deep sleep typically lasts from 20-40 minutes. As you continue sleeping, stage 3 sleep actually shortens and more time is spent in stage 4, REM sleep. Because the eyes are moving rapidly even though they’re closed during stage 4, that’s why it’s called REM sleep.
Perhaps the most attention has been paid to stage 4 REM sleep, because it’s during this phase that brain activity increases, almost to the levels of wakefulness. In contrast to the active brain, the rest of the body experiences a temporary paralysis of the muscles (known as atonia), with the exception of the rapid eye movement and the muscles involved with the breathing process. Although you can dream throughout the night, it’s during REM stages that the most vivid ones occur, probably due to the increase in brain activity.
But why is stage 3 deep sleep considered the key to awakening your best self? Take a look at what happens during deep sleep.
• Your body’s natural processes of repair take place and grows bone, muscle and tissue.
• Hormonal shifts take place to support the immune system. In fact, growth hormone is released, which helps with cell regeneration.
• The body’s energy molecule, known as ATP, is produced. This readies your body for awakening and facing the day.
• Memory is enhanced during deep sleep. Studies have shown that people who get enough sleep perform better on tests or when undertaking a new task.3
• Getting enough deep sleep is linked to better moods and decreasing the risk of depression.
• There is evidence that enough deep sleep can help prevent mental fog and help retain information.4
To get enough deep sleep, make sure you create the best possible sleep environment for yourself. Nikken can help you with free ground shipping on select Kenko sleep products through October 31st this month. (Free ground shipping does not apply to the Kenko Power Sleep Mask.)
1, 2 https://www.sleepfoundation.org/stages-of-sleep
3 https://aasm.org/college-students-getting-enough-sleep-is-vital-to-academic-success/
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