Sleep Cycles - knowing what occurs when you sleep
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Posted On :
Jan-03-2012
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Article Word Count :
600
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This content covers the activities that happen during the sleep cycle. In addition, it covers the necessity of sleep and enumerates the numerous stages of the sleep cycle.
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Benjamin Franklin once said "Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise."
That is only one of the quotes about sleep that stress its importance. We'll encounter many sleep quotes in our life to emphasize to us that this process is not just a luxury but a requirement. Although some quotes can be funny, each of them tell us the same thing-- a good night's rest contributes to good health and well-being.
A lot of things depend on sleep--your efficiency, mental sharpness, emotional balance, energy and even your weight. Understanding what happens when you sleep will allow you to avoid staying up late and being vulnerable to numerous illnesses caused by sleep deprivation.
Learning the stages of Sleep Cycles
When you sleep, your brain doesn't just shut down. It actually remains active, undergoing a biological maintenance that helps you prepare for the coming day. Whenever you sleep, your brain undergoes a sleep cycle involving numerous stages.
Listed here are the phases of the sleep cycle:
-Stage 1- This stage is also known as 'Dozing stage'. Here, you are largely asleep but 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 go 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 experience the sensation of falling or jerking into wakefulness.
-Stage 2- This stage has deeper sleep than in stage 1. It's also at this stage where you're considered asleep and unconscious. Finally, the eyes stop moving. There'll be periodic bursts of brain activity called sleep spindles and instances where bigger waves of amplitude called K complexes begin activating. The dominating brain waves, called Theta waves, are found in the stage 2 sleep. Much like the first stage, this phase doesn't last very long.
-Stage 3- In this stage, your brain will settle into a slow pattern. High amplitude called Delta waves begin activating. Your sleep begins to deepen. In stage 3, half of your brain waves are Delta waves. You will have spikes of high activity in between the quieter intervals.
-Stage 4- this stage is called 'very deep sleep stage'. Delta wave brain activity also dominates this stage. There are periodic bursts of high activity. It's for the duration of this stage that most cases of sleepwalking, nightmares and bed-wetting occur. It lasts until the early part of the night and slowly decreases as the night progresses.
-REM- The body will reverse the cycle and will go back to the 1st stage sleep prior to getting into the REM sleep. You will see many changes in the body in this stage. Your breathing quickens and becomes irregular and your eyes start to move with a jerky motion. Your heart rate will become elevated as well and your brain waves would be active, just like when you're awake. Your body will produce a chemical which will paralyze your muscles while dreaming so you won't end up injuring yourself. When you suddenly wake up during REM sleep, you are most likely to recall your dream in detail. Infants spend 50% of their sleeping time in REM sleep whilst grownups spend 20% of theirs.
Although children and adults have the same sleep cycles, you must take note that children need more sleep in order to function and grow properly.
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Article Source :
http://www.articleseen.com/Article_Sleep Cycles - knowing what occurs when you sleep_128108.aspx
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Author Resource :
Tia Arnold is a doctor who likes quotes about sleep and is familiar with how different stages in sleep cycles affects us.
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Keywords :
quotes about sleep, sleep cycles,
Category :
Health and Fitness
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Health and Fitness
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