Benjamin Franklin once said "Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise."
That is just one of the quotes about sleep that stress its importance. We'll encounter many sleep quotes in our life to tell us that this process is not just a luxury but an absolute necessity. Although some quotes might be funny, all of them tell us the same thing-- a good night's rest results in good health and well-being.
Several things depend on sleep--your efficiency, mental sharpness, emotional balance, energy and your weight. Being aware of what happens when you sleep will allow you to avoid staying up late and being vulnerable to various illnesses caused by sleep deprivation.
Learning the stages of Sleep Cycles
When you sleep, your brain doesn't just turn off. It actually stays busy, having a biological maintenance that will help you get ready for the coming day. While you sleep, your brain undergoes a sleep cycle involving various stages.
Listed below are the phases of the sleep cycle:
-Stage 1- This stage can be referred to as the 'Dozing stage'. Here, you're mainly asleep yet still easily woken. You are in this restful state and you feel all your senses slowing down. Your muscles, eye movement and breathing rate slow down. You ultimately drift into a semiconscious state. As the sleep deepens, your brain waves slow down as well - even slower than while relaxing. This stage doesn't last very long, and it is where you feel the sensation of falling or jerking into wakefulness.
-Stage 2- This stage has deeper sleep compared to stage 1. It's also at this stage where you are considered asleep and unconscious. Finally, the eyes stop moving. There will be periodic bursts of brain activity called sleep spindles and instances where bigger waves of amplitude called K complexes start activating. The dominating brain waves, called Theta waves, are found in the stage 2 sleep. Like the first stage, this stage doesn't last very long.
-Stage 3- In this stage, your brain will settle into a slow pattern. High amplitude called Delta waves start activating. Your sleep begins to deepen. In stage 3, half of the brain waves are Delta waves. There will be spikes of high activity in between the calmer intervals.
-Stage 4- this stage is called 'very deep sleep stage'. Delta wave brain activity also rules this stage. You'll have periodic bursts of high activity. It is during this stage that most instances of sleepwalking, nightmares and bed-wetting occur. It usually lasts until the early part of the night and gradually decreases as the night goes on.
-REM- The body will reverse the cycle and will return to the 1st stage sleep just before getting into the REM sleep. There will be several changes in the body in this stage. Your breathing accelerates and becomes irregular and your eyes start to move with a jerky motion. Your heart rate becomes elevated also and your brain waves will be active, just like while you're awake. The body will produce a chemical which can paralyze your muscles when dreaming so that you won't wind up hurting yourself. When you suddenly awaken during REM sleep, you're probably going to remember your dream in detail. Infants spend 50% of their sleeping time in REM sleep while grownups spend 20% of theirs.
Although children and adults have the same sleep cycles, you should take note that children need more sleep to be able to function and develop properly.
That is just one of the quotes about sleep that stress its importance. We'll encounter many sleep quotes in our life to tell us that this process is not just a luxury but an absolute necessity. Although some quotes might be funny, all of them tell us the same thing-- a good night's rest results in good health and well-being.
Several things depend on sleep--your efficiency, mental sharpness, emotional balance, energy and your weight. Being aware of what happens when you sleep will allow you to avoid staying up late and being vulnerable to various illnesses caused by sleep deprivation.
Learning the stages of Sleep Cycles
When you sleep, your brain doesn't just turn off. It actually stays busy, having a biological maintenance that will help you get ready for the coming day. While you sleep, your brain undergoes a sleep cycle involving various stages.
Listed below are the phases of the sleep cycle:
-Stage 1- This stage can be referred to as the 'Dozing stage'. Here, you're mainly asleep yet still easily woken. You are in this restful state and you feel all your senses slowing down. Your muscles, eye movement and breathing rate slow down. You ultimately drift into a semiconscious state. As the sleep deepens, your brain waves slow down as well - even slower than while relaxing. This stage doesn't last very long, and it is where you feel the sensation of falling or jerking into wakefulness.
-Stage 2- This stage has deeper sleep compared to stage 1. It's also at this stage where you are considered asleep and unconscious. Finally, the eyes stop moving. There will be periodic bursts of brain activity called sleep spindles and instances where bigger waves of amplitude called K complexes start activating. The dominating brain waves, called Theta waves, are found in the stage 2 sleep. Like the first stage, this stage doesn't last very long.
-Stage 3- In this stage, your brain will settle into a slow pattern. High amplitude called Delta waves start activating. Your sleep begins to deepen. In stage 3, half of the brain waves are Delta waves. There will be spikes of high activity in between the calmer intervals.
-Stage 4- this stage is called 'very deep sleep stage'. Delta wave brain activity also rules this stage. You'll have periodic bursts of high activity. It is during this stage that most instances of sleepwalking, nightmares and bed-wetting occur. It usually lasts until the early part of the night and gradually decreases as the night goes on.
-REM- The body will reverse the cycle and will return to the 1st stage sleep just before getting into the REM sleep. There will be several changes in the body in this stage. Your breathing accelerates and becomes irregular and your eyes start to move with a jerky motion. Your heart rate becomes elevated also and your brain waves will be active, just like while you're awake. The body will produce a chemical which can paralyze your muscles when dreaming so that you won't wind up hurting yourself. When you suddenly awaken during REM sleep, you're probably going to remember your dream in detail. Infants spend 50% of their sleeping time in REM sleep while grownups spend 20% of theirs.
Although children and adults have the same sleep cycles, you should take note that children need more sleep to be able to function and develop properly.