The whole dream is divided into two fundamentally different types - this slow sleep and REM sleep. In turn, slow-wave sleep is divided into 4 phases. It turns out that there are only 5 different phases of sleep.
slow sleep
It is also called the dormancy stage. It is characterized by thinking and experiencing problems that arise during the day. The brain, by inertia, tries to find a solution to the problems it was working on while awake. A person can see images that implement a solution to a problem.
There is a further decrease in muscle activity, pulse and breathing slow down. The brain gradually stops working. This stage is characterized by short bursts of auditory sensitivity. Several times a minute a person is in a state where it is very easy to wake him up.
Is transitional. The difference between stages three and four of sleep is the number of delta oscillations. But we will not delve into such details.
Characterized by the deepest sleep. It is considered the most important, since at this time the brain receives the most complete rest and restores its performance. In the fourth stage of sleep, it is difficult to wake a person. Cases of talking in a dream or sleepwalking occur precisely in this phase.
The first two phases are considered shallow slow-wave sleep, and the second two are considered deep sleep. NREM sleep is also called orthodox sleep or non-REM sleep.
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Rapid eye movement sleep (REM sleep)
This stage is also called REM sleep (from the English rapid eye movements, which means “rapid eye movements”). As you may have guessed, REM sleep is characterized by accelerated movements of the eyeballs under closed eyelids - this is the first fundamental difference from slow sleep.
The second difference is that in the REM sleep phase the brain does not rest at all, but on the contrary, it is activated. The heart rate also increases, but the large muscles are completely relaxed.
And the most interesting thing is that in the REM sleep phase it is most difficult to wake a person, although his state is closest to the state of wakefulness. That's why REM sleep is also called paradoxical sleep.
The purpose of REM sleep is not entirely clear. There are several assumptions about this:
1. During the REM sleep stage, the brain sorts out the information received.
2. The brain analyzes conditions environment, in which the organism is located and develops an adaptation strategy. Indirect confirmation of this judgment is the fact that in newborns REM sleep is 50%, in adults - 20-25%, in older people - 15%.
But there is one fact that does not cause controversy - the most vivid dreams come to us in REM sleep! In other stages, dreams are also present, but they are blurred and we remember them very poorly. Scientists also say that you will only remember a dream well if you wake up in the REM phase.
Sequence of sleep stages
Sleep begins with phase 1, which lasts approximately 10 minutes. Then the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th phases follow sequentially. Then in reverse order- 3rd, 2nd and the REM sleep phase begins. Together they form a cycle that repeats 4-5 times a night.
At the same time, the duration of different phases changes from cycle to cycle. In the first cycle, REM sleep is very short, and deep, slow-wave sleep takes longer. But in the last cycles deep sleep may not be at all. Typically one cycle is 90-100 minutes.
Now comes the fun part. Your well-being depends on what phase of sleep you wake up in. The worst place to wake up is deep sleep. When you wake up from a deep sleep, you will feel groggy.
It is best to wake up after the end of the REM sleep phase, that is, at the beginning of the first or second phase. Waking up from REM sleep is not recommended.
Now you probably have a question about how to make sure you wake up in the right phase.
I will express only one thought on this matter. As already mentioned, it is quite difficult to wake a person in the deep sleep stage. So if your sleep is interrupted in a natural way, and not the sound of an alarm clock, then you are most likely to wake up in the right phase.
Now a little about the importance of fast and slow sleep. Some scientists say that REM sleep is a relic of the past, supposedly a person does not need it, just like the appendix.
The following facts are cited in support of this statement:
If you forcibly limit the duration of sleep, then the duration of the deep phase of sleep practically does not change; the brain primarily reduces the duration of REM sleep.
But this only proves that deep sleep is more important than fast sleep - no more!
Experiments have been conducted where people were completely deprived of REM sleep for two weeks. However, their health did not deteriorate in any way.
Two weeks is not that long, considering that some people can live that long without sleep at all.
But other scientists conducted experiments on rats. As a result, after 40 days without REM sleep, the rats died.
The sleep process is a very little studied phenomenon. In the future, sleep scientists will have to find answers to many controversial questions.
Well, we need to take care of our sleep and lead healthy image life!
One of the most mysterious and significant processes occurring in our body is sleep. We spend a third of our lives in this state. Moreover, if you are deprived of night rest even for a short period of time, this is fraught with the development of neurotic disorders and disruption of important body functions.
Today, thanks to the colossal work of scientists, it has been possible to isolate and study in detail REM and NREM sleep. Each of these phases is accompanied by certain features, which we will discuss further.
Rest is the most important component of every person’s life. During this state, the body relaxes, and the brain processes the information received during the day. When the slow-wave sleep phase begins, the material received and studied is better consolidated in memory.
And the fast stage models upcoming events on a subconscious level. In addition, a long night's rest restores immune system and activates lymphocytes to fight viral infections.
If you interrupt the rest, only one of the cycles will be realized, and accordingly the human body will not rest. This means that the performance of the brain will not be updated.
In addition, physiological processes such as:
- fluid balance is restored;
- the process of cleansing the body begins by removing excess moisture;
- collagen protein is synthesized, which helps strengthen skin and joints;
- the body absorbs calcium.
Each of these processes is characterized by duration. For this reason, the question arises as to how long it takes to complete recovery body. If you sleep 8 hours daily, a person will feel rested.
Physiology of human sleep
Daily night's rest is vital for the human body. Moreover, sleep in some situations is much more important than food. Just a couple of sleepless days provoke the appearance of the following symptoms:
- irritability;
- emotional instability;
- a person develops memory lapses;
- lack of sleep provokes mental retardation;
- depression develops.
Important: If a person spends about 11 days without a night's rest, irreversible processes in his body, leading to death.
Normally, an adult should sleep from 4 to 8 hours. Moreover, such data are comparative, since it is necessary to take into account the ratio of human fatigue. If a large amount of physical activity is received during the day, it is recommended to increase the time of physiological rest.
Features of the slow phase
NREM sleep is classified into 4 stages, such as:
- nap;
- sleep spindles;
- delta sleep;
- Delta sleep is deep.
Nap
When a person enters a state of drowsiness, he revises ideas and replays current situations that appeared during the day. In addition, the brain looks for the right solutions to the current situation. In most cases, a person has dreams in which he sees a definition of the current problem.
Sleepy spindles
After the drowsiness phase comes sleep spindles. This stage is characterized by alternating subconscious shutdown and auditory receptivity.
Delta sleep
This phase is called transition to deep sleep.
Delta sleep deep
This stage is characterized by the following factors:
- dullness of energy;
- heavy lifting;
- inability to wake up a sleeping person.
The deep phase in question begins an hour and a half after going to bed.
Important: Slow sleep is important for the human body. It regulates the rhythms of brain areas and structures. And fast, helps to synchronize and promotes their harmonious work.
When immersed in a slow cycle, the body's activity slows down and it is difficult to wake a person. And with the onset of the deep stage, rapid heartbeat and breathing are observed. At the same time, the pressure drops.
A slow night's rest is important because significant processes occur during this time, such as:
- cells are restored;
- condition improves internal organs;
- the human body becomes healthier.
The duration of slow-wave sleep is about 75% of the total rest. And about 25% comes from a quick night's rest.
Below you will find a comparative table of fast and slow sleep, where you can clearly see how the phases change and compare these data with your own.
Features of the fast phase
The fast phase is also called fast-wave or paradoxical, and it has a number of distinctive features:
- the dream seen is clearly remembered;
- good respiratory rate;
- tone muscle mass falls;
- the muscles located in the neck area stop moving.
Important: When a new cycle begins, a quick night's rest has a longer duration. However, its depth is less.
In addition, a quick night's rest has two cycles:
- emotional;
- unemotional.
During a quick night's rest, information received the day before is processed and exchanged between the subconscious and the mind. This type of sleep is necessary for the brain to adapt to all changes occurring in the surrounding space. Moreover, if this phase of night rest is interrupted, a violation of the human psyche may occur.
Differences between cycles
What is the difference between slow-wave sleep and REM sleep? As mentioned above, slow phase rest has 4 stages, and fast only two. In addition, there are a number of other differences. We invite you to familiarize yourself with them in the comparative table below:
- during slow-wave sleep, at the beginning the eye movements are smooth, and at the end they freeze, when during the fast phase the eyes move constantly;
- during slow cycle human body grows faster because growth hormone is produced during this period;
- dreams have a different character;
- at during the period fast phase, he wakes up easier, and feels sleepy in contrast to the slow degree;
- breathing in the phase of slow night rest may be delayed, but during REM sleep a person breathes frequently, because this is how he reacts to dreams;
- Temperature indicators of the brain decrease with a slow degree; with a fast degree, the opposite happens: blood flow increases and the temperature rises.
Despite the differences, REM and NREM sleep are interconnected and are considered one balanced system. For comparison, during the slow phase the functioning of the structures of internal organs is regulated. And during the fast cycle, a harmonious establishment of relationships between the cells of the human body occurs.
Best time to wake up
Sooner or later, rest ends and the need to awaken comes. However, it is important to emphasize that a person’s condition directly depends on at what stage of the night’s rest the awakening occurred.
As a rule, the deep stage of slow-wave sleep is considered a negative time to wake up. And the most optimal time for awakening is considered to be the interval between the end of the rapid stage of sleep moving into the first stage of the next stage.
Important: If a person is fully rested, he is full of energy and will be in good mood. As a rule, such a state is guaranteed if you wake up after the end of your dreams.
When the REM sleep phase begins, all senses are activated at this moment, and accordingly the person responds well to external factors that contribute to its awakening, such as:
- light coming through the curtains;
- extraneous sounds coming from outside;
- changes in ambient temperature indicators.
If you wake up at this moment, the health of both the man, woman, and child will be excellent. But, it’s worth taking a little nap and the person already gets up exhausted. This happens when the body enters another slow cycle.
Important: Even if awakening happened easily and positively, do not rush to jump out of bed. Give your body some time to adapt its systems to the coming day. At the same time, be careful not to fall asleep again.
As a rule, all people wake up before the alarm clock rings. This is because the body has The biological clock, which adapt to a person’s daily routine. Therefore, if you wake up before the scheduled time, do not rush to fall asleep again, otherwise you will plunge into sleep. deep stage and ruin your whole coming day.
The optimal time to wake up is considered to be the period when you woke up on your own and the body itself signaled that you had enough sleep. Then there will be no need to calculate when it is better to wake up.
What are the consequences of insomnia?
Often both sleep cycles are disrupted for certain reasons. Moreover, many people, having a similar problem, do not even realize that the duration of their night's rest is insufficient. But lack of sleep negatively affects the general condition of the body with the following symptoms:
- a person is worried about fatigue, apathy and lethargy appear;
- mood has frequent changes, attacks of irritability and tearfulness often occur;
- the immune system decreases;
- memory is impaired;
- body weight increases;
- the endocrine system malfunctions.
The human body gradually starts the process of self-destruction. In addition, the mental disorders. And if treatment therapy is not started in a timely manner, the consequences can be catastrophic.
How to get rid of insomnia
If your rest at night is disturbed, you should not self-medicate. First you need to identify the reason that provoked this failure, then direct efforts to eliminate it. Sometimes our body gives signals in the form of insomnia about the development of pathology.
Therefore, consultation with a doctor and examination is mandatory. Moreover, sometimes such a violation is even useful. After all, with its help it is possible to promptly identify the development of a dangerous pathology.
As for treatment methods, there are several of them:
- drug treatment;
- troubleshooting special gymnastics or playing sports;
- surgical intervention;
- visiting a psychotherapist;
- nutrition correction;
- maintaining sleep hygiene;
- competent planning of the daily routine.
By eliminating the real reason sleep disturbances, slow and fast cycle will come back to normal.
And in conclusion, it is worth noting that a healthy night's rest is of great importance in a person's life, regardless of his age. At this time, you calm down nervous system and gain positive emotions for the coming day. And remember, it doesn’t matter how long the rest lasts. The main thing is to feel energized in the morning.
All people are different. So, one person will not wake up if you talk loudly next to him, vacuum cleaner or turn on music, while the second one goes into a state of wakefulness after the floor creaks. Light sleep is a state of a person in which he is able to quickly wake up, becoming very irritated. For many people and their close relatives with whom they live in the same apartment, this phenomenon becomes a real problem.
When he is constantly in one of the stages of sleep. There are two of them: fast and slow. Each phase has its own characteristics, which are shown in the table.
slow sleep | REM sleep |
First stage: a state of sleep in which new ideas and interesting thoughts can unconsciously arise in a person's subconscious. He is dozing rather than sleeping. A person remains in this state for 5 to 10 minutes. | REM sleep is the fifth stage of sleep. During this period, the state of a sleeping person is as active as possible. But despite this, he remains in one position because his muscles are paralyzed. A person’s subconscious mind works very well, so he remembers all the dreams he had during the fourth stage. That is why, if you wake him up during the fast phase, he will tell you all the dreams in vivid and colorful detail. At this stage it is difficult to wake up. If you want to wake up a person who is in a state of REM sleep, it will be difficult for you to do it, much more difficult than if he was in the fourth stage. In addition, during such a period, a sharp transition to a cheerful state can disrupt the psyche. A person needs about 1 hour for REM sleep. |
The second stage: a person’s consciousness completely turns off, he plunges into a full-fledged sleep. But during this phase they worsen auditory analyzers. Therefore, during this period, the mother can wake up if Small child moves in bed, and any person opens his eyes when his name is spoken next to him. 20 minutes is the average duration of this phase. |
|
The third stage is the deeper second stage of sleep. |
|
The fourth stage is characterized by the deepest sleep. The person is difficult to wake up, has vivid dreams, or may suffer from sleepwalking. As a rule, he does not remember any of this, moving into a state of wakefulness. The third and fourth stages last approximately 45 minutes. |
When a person goes through all these stages, he completes the first cycle. For good rest you need to sleep through five such cycles.
Sleep must be consistent. Ideally, a person should go through each of these stages. This is why all doctors in the world insist that the ideal sleep duration is 8 hours. Don't neglect this rule to maintain your mental health. The phases of human sleep by time, the table describing which is presented above, are needed for the most productive state throughout the day. Professional doctors know what to do if a person wakes up from the slightest noise and therefore cannot go through each stage.
Causes of sensitive sleep
Light sleep time can be beneficial for a person, for example, if he wants to take a light nap without falling into a completely unconscious state. But if such a phenomenon occurs constantly, then there can be no question of the normal functioning of all body systems. A person sleeps, but does not get enough sleep, does not go through all stages of sleep in order to fully rest.
The reasons for the appearance of shallow sleep are different. You have no cause for concern if one of these factors applies to you:
- You recently became a mother. In this case, light sleep is induced by your body at a physiological level so that you can constantly monitor the state in which your newborn baby is.
- Hormonal fluctuations occur in your body. This applies to pregnant women and girls during menstruation.
- Your work takes place in night shift. In this case, the body adapts to your schedule;
- You are experiencing psychological stress. This may be due to both stress at work and waking up at an earlier, unusual time for you.
- If you sleep for 10 instead of the required 8 hours and it becomes a habit, your sleep will become longer, but less quality.
- If you are over 50 years old, then a light sleeper can become your constant companion.
All these reasons are either natural or easily eliminated, so if one of them concerns you, do not worry, your health is safe. But it happens that the factors that cause short sleep mean that disturbances have occurred in the body. Such reasons include:
- Depression and neuroses. Mental problems can disrupt the subconscious's ability to enter the sleep state.
- Somatic illnesses need to be treated as they can cause sleep disorders.
- Wrong reception pharmaceuticals or alcohol abuse lead to a person who has drunk alcoholic beverages falling asleep quickly, but this sleep is sensitive and superficial.
Such factors must be avoided, so try to prevent such manifestations.
What to do if you are a light sleeper
Almost every person knows what light sleep means for the body. But this concept should not be confused with insomnia. If you create ideal conditions, a person will wake up rested in case of light sleep. If you cannot get enough sleep in complete silence and darkness, then you are dealing with insomnia.
If light sleep has been bothering you for as long as you can remember, you should consult a doctor. If this phenomenon has recently appeared in your life, then you can try to overcome it yourself.
If you want to know how to deal with light sleep, take a look at the list useful tips and recommendations:
- Create the most favorable conditions in the room. To do this, turn off the lights, make sure that the room is quiet, and that you are not too cold or hot.
- Lay down clean bedding that won't distract you with too much odor.
- Before bed, take a relaxing bath or use the services of a massage therapist.
- Avoid drinking drinks that contain caffeine.
- Try to pay sufficient quantity time to play sports.
- Avoid stress at work and at home.
If such measures do not help you, more serious measures should be taken.
Radical measures in the fight against light sleep
If no methods help you and you wake up due to any extraneous factor, even the most insignificant, try the following methods:
- Buy sound generator, which is capable of producing white noise. According to psychologists, this sound can not only help a person fall asleep, but also helps you wake up more rested.
- Melatonin is a medicine that is recommended for older people who have trouble sleeping. It promotes deeper, longer and more complete rest.
- If the above methods are useless, try consulting a psychotherapist. A professional doctor will quickly determine what the problem is and help eliminate it.
And remember, if you have insomnia, then a visit to a somnologist is mandatory.
Sleep problems in a child
If light sleep concerns small child, it is worth taking measures to ensure that the baby sleeps more deeply. But this is normal for infants, but for older children, insufficient rest is fraught with bad consequences.
Do not teach your baby to sleep in absolute silence so that he does not react too aggressively to extraneous noise. In addition, if you are not opposed to sharing holidays, then go to bed with your child together. Usually babies feel much better with their mothers.
How to deal with short sleep in a child over 2 years old
Children over 2 years of age may also have trouble sleeping. Try the following measures:
- Check that your child feels well and does not experience any discomfort while in his bed.
- Make sure your child follows a daily routine. If he eats, studies, and plays at the same time, then he will fall asleep faster.
- White noise is much more effective on children than adults. Use it, and your child will rest better.
It is important that all these methods are performed in combination, then you will see the result very quickly.
How to become a sensitive sleeper
People do not always want to get rid of the ability to fall asleep for a short time. Sometimes there is a need quick rest during the day, for example, if there is a lot of work to do, but there is no energy left. During a short sleep, a person is charged with a lot of energy and is ready to work further. Here are the basic rules for such a holiday:
- Rest should last from 15 to 26 minutes. After it you will wake up rested.
- To master this technique, training is required.
- You need to fall asleep at the same time.
- You should not use modern gadgets before going to bed.
If you are ready to follow these rules, then you can begin to master the technique. Regular training will lead you to success.
Learning to be a sensitive sleeper
To fall asleep, follow the instructions:
- Set your alarm and lie down in a position that is comfortable for you.
- Concentrate on calming down and turning off all mental processes.
- Your brain will understand that it needs to fall asleep, and it will begin to plunge into unconsciousness.
Don't expect to be pleased with the results the first time. It usually takes at least 10 workouts to fall asleep quickly. But after you develop this habit, you will be able to easily take a quick rest every day.
What should it be like to wake up after REM sleep?
After a light sleep there should be an awakening like this:
- You need to get out of bed immediately after you open your eyes.
- After waking up, it is forbidden to fall asleep again.
- Have a snack, it will help you wake up completely faster.
- If possible, go for a brisk walk.
The first few times you may not be able to achieve such an awakening, but do not be discouraged. Don’t give up training, although they may seem difficult to you, then very soon you will be able to take a good rest at any time, without falling out of your habitual routine for an indefinite period.
Human sleep-wake cycle
Even if a person has slept through all the necessary phases, he may feel tired. associated not only with our health, but also with biological factors environment. Body temperature drops at night, which is why we need to rest. If you slept well during the day, then when working on the night shift, your performance will still drop, because temperature regime Will not change.
During the experiment, scientists found that such rhythms always operate, even if a person is deprived of the opportunity to observe the change of day and night. Therefore, try to get enough sleep at night so that during the day your productivity increases to its maximum level. If you cannot do this due to your work schedule, then try to master the technique of sensitive sleep and use it during the night.
An article on the topic: “slow-wave sleep and REM sleep. which is better than the different stages of sleep” from professionals.
Sleep is one of the most mysterious processes that occur in human body. And one of the most significant, since we spend almost a third of our lives sleeping. And complete sleep deprivation, even for a relatively short period of time of a few days, can lead to neurotic disorders and imbalance of the entire body. Sleep is very difficult process, in which brain activity changes and vital important functions body. Scientists were able to identify the phases of slow and fast sleep, which have their own characteristics and purposes.
A little history
But even after scientists established that sleep is caused by the functioning of the human nervous system and brain and has nothing to do with the immortal soul, it was impossible to conduct full-fledged research due to the lack of suitable equipment. It was only in the second half of the 20th century that it became possible to record nerve impulses emanating from muscles and the brain, which made it possible to determine the level of their activity.
With the help of electrical devices, many important discoveries have been made in the field of sleep. Rapid and slow-wave sleep were discovered and studied different kinds insomnia, the processes occurring in the body during lethargic sleep have been studied.
Scientists were able to reveal that human activity is regulated by circadian rhythms - daily alternations of periods of sleep and wakefulness, which continue to work even if it is impossible to navigate in time due to the lack of clocks and sunlight.
Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging have allowed us to study in more detail brain activity, which looks completely different during REM and slow-wave sleep. Interesting processes happen to a person when falling asleep, when the body and brain begin to slowly switch off and plunge into a state of deep relaxation, but at the same time certain parts of the brain continue to work.
But the most ambitious discovery was that the reactions of the brain and body to a vivid dream that a person sees in the REM phase are practically no different from reactions to real events. This means that a person literally “lives” his dream physically and mentally. But first things first.
Falling asleep
A person who wants to sleep is always easy to recognize, even if he tries to somehow hide his condition. Signs of drowsiness include:
A sleepy person begins to stretch, rub his eyes, and turn around in search of a position comfortable for falling asleep. This condition is associated with an increase in the concentration of a special hormone in the blood - melatonin. It gently inhibits the activity of the nervous system, promoting deeper relaxation and speeding up the process of falling asleep.
The hormone has virtually no effect on the quality of sleep itself. Melatonin is only a natural regulator of circadian rhythms.
The process of falling asleep in a healthy adult lasts from 20 to 40 minutes. If the duration of falling asleep remains constant for more than an hour, we can talk about the presence of one of the many forms of insomnia and it is better to take measures to eliminate it before it turns into chronic form. Natural products can help with this sedatives, taking additional doses of melatonin or proven folk remedies.
Slow phase
Having gone through the stage of falling asleep, a person plunges into slow-wave sleep. It gets its name from the slow rotation of the eyeballs that can be observed in a sleeping person. Although it's not just them. During slow-wave sleep, all vital functions of the body are inhibited - the body and brain relax and rest.As they studied this phase, scientists made more and more new discoveries. As a result, it was discovered that in infants slow sleep has only two stages, and in children over 1-1.5 years old and adults - as many as four, through which the body sequentially passes:
All four stages of the slow phase take approximately one and a half hours, plus or minus 10 minutes. Of this, approximately a fifth of the time is occupied by deep and very deep sleep, and the rest is superficial.
Moreover, a person usually goes through the first stage of slow-wave sleep only after falling asleep, and when slow and fast sleep alternate during the night, it “falls out.”
Fast phase
Scientists have not fully figured out what REM sleep is, how such strange processes can occur in the body, and what significance it has for humans. If everything is more or less clear with slow sleep - this is a period of active recovery of the body and complete relaxation, then the reactions of the brain and the vital functions of the body during REM sleep are completely different.
During REM sleep, a person's eyeballs under closed eyelids begin to move quickly along a chaotic trajectory. From the outside it seems that a person is closely watching something. In fact, this is so, since it is in this phase that dreams appear. But eye movement is not the only and far from the main difference between REM sleep.
What was seen on the encephalogram, and later on the tomogram of the brain during the fast phase, so amazed scientists that it received another name “ paradoxical dream" All readings during this period may be practically no different from those taken in a state of active wakefulness, but at the same time the person continues to sleep:
In fact, the entire body is “turned on” in the dream as if it were a real event, and only the person’s consciousness is turned off. But if you wake him up at this moment, he will be able to tell the plot of the dream in great detail and at the same time will experience emotional experiences.
Interestingly, it is during REM sleep that hormonal changes occur. Some scientists believe that it is necessary for emotional “reset” and balancing of the endocrine system.
Having experienced exciting events again during sleep, a person then sends these memories to the subconscious, and they stop bothering him.
REM sleep also helps in regulating the level of sex hormones. Nocturnal erections, wet dreams and spontaneous orgasms occur during this phase. Moreover, they are not always accompanied by dreams of an erotic nature.
At the same time, most heart attacks or strokes occur, due to the fact that the relaxed heart and blood vessels are subjected to sudden stress.
At the beginning of the night, the fast phase does not last long - from 5 to 10 minutes, and most A person spends time after falling asleep in slow-wave sleep. But in the morning the phase relationship changes. The periods of REM sleep become longer and longer, and the periods of deep sleep become shorter and shorter, and at one point the person wakes up.
Proper awakening
An interesting fact is that a person’s activity and condition, especially in the first half of the day, depends on how he woke up. If he is awakened by external stimuli (alarm clock, bright light, sharp sounds, shock) during the slow phase of sleep, he still needs some time to “come to his senses.” In the first seconds, he may not even understand where he is, some parts of the brain are still so inhibited.
It is a completely different matter if the awakening occurs during REM sleep. The body is already alert and active, you just need to turn on your consciousness. A person who wakes up in this phase feels great, can quickly get out of bed and go about his business. At the same time, he perfectly remembers the last dream and can write it down or retell it.The modern rhythm of life places high demands on the level of physical activity. Perhaps that's why in Lately The so-called “ smart alarm clocks", which read the body's readings and send a signal just in the stage of REM sleep.
The advantage of such a device is that it greatly facilitates awakening, but the disadvantage is that it can wake a person up 20-30 minutes before the set time, since it begins to track sleep phases in advance, calculating the appropriate moment.
But even if you woke up easily, doctors do not advise jumping out of bed right away. Give the body 5-10 minutes for all organs and systems to smoothly start working. Stretch, lie down, tune in to the new day, go over your plans in your head again. And when you feel that you are completely ready for active actions– get up and start your morning routine.
Prevention of insomnia
Healthy quality sleep is considered to be a state in which a person quickly falls asleep and smoothly moves from one phase to another, waking up at the end of the night at his usual time on his own, without an alarm clock. Unfortunately, few people can boast of this today. Chronic fatigue, stress, poor nutrition, negative emotions greatly reduce the quality of sleep and become increasingly common reasons development of chronic insomnia.To avoid this problem and the multiple troubles associated with it - from neuroses to serious psychosomatic diseases, try to take at least basic measures that can ensure normal quality of sleep:
And most importantly, do not reach for sleeping pills even if you have been unable to fall asleep for several nights in a row. Such drugs quickly become addictive and in most cases deprive a person of the rapid phase of sleep.
Under the influence of a sleeping pill, a “heavy”, very deep sleep without dreams occurs, which is very different from normal - after it the person still feels broken.
If problems with falling asleep or frequent awakenings at night have become protracted, you are often tormented by nightmares, or your loved ones say that you walk at night, go to the doctor. The problem cannot be solved without finding out the cause that provoked it. And this can only be done after examination and consultation with several specialists: a neurologist, an endocrinologist, a somnologist.
But in most cases, temporary insomnia occurs as a result of stress or severe fatigue and can be easily dealt with using folk remedies: warm baths, milk at night, relaxing massage, aromatherapy. No less important is positive attitude. You can significantly improve the quality of your sleep simply by weaning yourself from thinking about problems in the evenings.
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Now we know that night sleep is a complex physiological process that includes up to five cycles REM and NREM sleep. But more recently, in the 19th century, sleep was perceived by scientists as a phenomenon closed to study, in contrast to the waking state, which can be measured and observed.
You can evaluate the sleeping position, measure his physical indicators: pulse, arterial pressure, breathing rate, body temperature, but how to evaluate the fundamental processes of sleep itself?
The first experiments were based on awakening the subject, that is, on invading the sleep process.
However, through these studies, the understanding has been gained that sleep occurs in successive stages. Köllschütter, a German physiologist, established in the 19th century that sleep is deepest in the first hours, and later becomes more superficial.
A breakthrough in the history of sleep research was the discovery of electrical waves that originate in the brain and that can be recorded.
Scientists have the opportunity to observe, record and study phenomena that occur in a person’s sleep, without waking him up - using an electroencephalogram.
Numerous studies have found that A person's nighttime sleep consists of several alternating cycles of rapid and slow-wave sleep.
The cycle consists of four stages of slow-wave sleep and two stages of REM sleep.. At the beginning of the night's rest, slow-wave sleep predominates; in the morning the proportion of REM sleep increases.
slow sleep occupies 75 - 85% of all sleep and consists of:
naps,
sleepy spindles,
delta sleep,
deep delta sleep.
Many functions of our body change as we fall into sleep: during the stages of drowsiness and sleep spindles, the pulse becomes slower, blood pressure decreases, and blood flows slower.
As soon as the sleeper reaches delta sleep, the pulse quickens and the blood pressure rises.
REM sleep consists of two stages:
Emotional,
unemotional.
These stages replace each other several times, and the emotional phase is always longer.
If you display the depth of sleep using a curve, you will get several descents into deep sleep, followed by ascents into shallow REM sleep.
These ascents and descents take approximately an hour and a half.
Scientists suggest that the rhythm of one and a half hours is the main biorhythm and persists during wakefulness.
The phases of sleep do not replace each other directly, but through an intermediate state similar to drowsiness. This transitional stage in a healthy person takes up about 5 percent of all sleep.
When recognizing the stages of REM and slow-wave sleep important feature serves as a gradual relaxation of muscles or a decrease in muscle tone.
Adults have the following percentages between all sleep stages:
Napping – 12.1%,
sleep spindles – 38.1%,
delta sleep, – 14.2%,
deep delta sleep – 12.1%,
REM sleep – 23.5%
Differences between REM and NREM sleep.
NREM sleep has four distinct stages, and fast - two,
Eye movements in slow-wave sleep, smooth at first and completely freezing at the end of the stage, in REM sleep - the eyes move continuously,
State of the autonomic nervous system different in both stages.
In slow sleep we are growing faster: growth hormone produced by the pituitary gland is produced more actively in this phase.
Dreams are of a different nature.
In the fast phase, dream pictures are action-packed, brightly and emotionally colored, in the slow phase, the dream plot is calm or absent altogether.
Awakening.
If you wake a person in the middle of REM sleep, he will get up much easier and will feel much better than as a result of waking up in the slow phase.
Even if you've had enough time to sleep and you expect to feel a surge of strength and vigor, this will not happen if you wake up unsuccessfully at the beginning or in the middle of the slow-wave sleep cycle. In such a situation, you can hear: “Did you get up on the wrong foot?”
Apparently the cause of this condition is incomplete neurochemical processes that take place in slow-wave sleep.
Breath when falling asleep it becomes less frequent and louder, but less deep.
It slows down even more and becomes irregular in delta sleep.
Breathing in REM sleep is sometimes slow, sometimes frequent, sometimes with delays - this is how we react to the events of the dream we are watching.
Brain temperature decreases in slow-wave sleep, and in fast sleep, due to increased blood flow and active metabolism, it rises and sometimes exceeds the temperature during wakefulness.
Despite numerous differences, the stages of slow and fast sleep have a chemical, physiological, functional interdependence and belong to a single balanced system.
Regulation occurs in slow-wave sleep internal rhythms every brain structure, every organ, every cell. During REM sleep, harmonious relationships are established between these structures, organs, and cells.
Based on materials from the book “Three Thirds of Life” by A. Wayne.
Elena Valve for the project Sleepy Cantata
Sleep is an essential human need. Its importance cannot be underestimated. Without sleep, a person will not be able to exist normally, and hallucinations will gradually appear. The study of sleep is a special science - somnology.
Sleep functions
First of all, the main function of sleep will be rest for the body, for the brain. During sleep, the brain will work in a certain way, forming for the body special conditions. Under these conditions, the following should occur:
- Rest of consciousness from daily activities.
- Finding solutions to open problems.
- Relaxation of body muscles.
- Release of the hormone melatonin.
- Stimulation of immunity at an adequate level.
- Consolidation of acquired knowledge in memory.
As already mentioned, without sleep a person cannot exist normally. Sleep also performs the function of regulating biorhythms.
Sleep disorders such as insomnia, nightmares, sleepwalking, sleep paralysis, lethargic sleep, difficulty falling asleep will indicate that a person has any serious diseases (most often of a neurological nature).
Stages of sleep. What do they have in common?
To date, scientists have found that there are 5 phases of sleep. Four of which are classified as slow-wave sleep, and one is classified as fast sleep.
When a person falls asleep, he enters the stages of slow-wave sleep, which vary in the degree of relaxation of the body and brain. Afterwards comes the REM sleep phase.
For proper rest, all phases must go through. In order for a person to wake up rested, he needs to get up after the REM phase, but in no case during the slow phase. If this happens, the person will get out of bed tired and irritated.
Most deep sleep when it will be extremely difficult to wake a person, it will be observed in the middle of one of the phases of sleep. During the period of falling asleep, a person can be very sensitive to surrounding stimuli, so for good sleep and the absence of insomnia, it is important to fall asleep in a quiet room.
The difference between slow-wave sleep and fast sleep
Different stages of sleep will be characterized by different indicators brain activity, consciousness, condition and regulation of muscles.
NREM sleep suggests decreased brain activity and consciousness. During this phase, sleep paralysis occurs - the muscles are completely relaxed. This stage of sleep will be characterized by possible appearance solutions to problem situations in real life, but since the brain will have reduced activity at this time, people often retain residual memories of the dream, fragments of it, but do not remember it completely.
By the fourth stage of the slow phase, the time of the lowest brain activity begins. It is very difficult to wake a person at this time, pathological conditions, such as: sleepwalking, nightmares, enuresis occur precisely during this phase of sleep. At this time, dreams occur, but a person most often completely forgets them, unless he suddenly wakes up by chance.
The main function of the slow phase of sleep is to restore the energy resources of a sleeping person.
The fast phase differs from the slow phase, first of all, presence of rapid movements of the eyeballs. Interestingly, during the rapid phase of sleep, brain activity becomes similar to its activity in the waking state. At this time, you can observe muscle spasms of the limbs and twitching in the sleeping person, which is the norm.
During the REM phase of sleep, people always have vivid and memorable dreams, which they can recount in detail after waking up.
Some scientists say that for proper sleep, you need, first of all, the slow phase of sleep, and that the fast phase of sleep is a kind of rudiment. Other scientists say that this is fundamentally wrong - REM sleep has its own meaning.
Firstly, the significance of REM sleep dreams for the human psyche cannot be diminished. Psychologists, interpreting dreams, especially those that are frequently repeated, can give an accurate personal portrait of a person.
In dreams, a person can express himself, and sometimes a person realizes that he is sleeping, sometimes not, but this fact is very important for the human psyche.
In dreams, most often a person sees everyday reality transformed into symbols, so he can look at it, as they say, from the other side, which may lead to the solution of problems that are important to him.
Therefore, although radically different from each other, both phases of sleep are required for a good night’s rest; they complement each other perfectly.
How to get rid of sleep problems
It is very important to approach the process of falling asleep carefully - then problems with falling asleep will not arise. Difficulty falling asleep or insomnia can be avoided by following certain tips:
- A person should go to bed only when he wants to fall asleep.
- If a person cannot fall asleep, he should switch to some other activity until the desire to sleep appears.
- The room intended for rest should be quietly cool for comfortable falling asleep.
- The room should be dark - this is the main condition for the production of the sleep hormone.
In order to avoid night terrors, you will need to avoid watching programs that excite the nervous system and overeating; taking herbal sedatives and chamomile tea will have a good effect.
Sleep is one of the most amazing states, during which organs - and especially the brain - work in a special mode.
From a physiological point of view, sleep is one of the manifestations of the body’s self-regulation, subordinate to the rhythms of life, a deep disconnection of a person’s consciousness from the external environment, necessary to restore the activity of nerve cells.
Thanks to good sleep memory is strengthened, concentration is maintained, cells are renewed, toxins are removed and fat cells, stress levels are reduced, the psyche is unloaded, melatonin is produced - the sleep hormone, regulator of circadian rhythms, antioxidant and immune protector.
Sleep duration according to age
Sleep serves as protection against hypertension, obesity, division cancer cells and even damage to tooth enamel. If a person does not sleep for more than 2 days, his metabolism will not only slow down, but hallucinations may also begin. Lack of sleep for 8-10 days drives a person crazy.
IN at different ages people need different quantities hours for sleep:
Unborn children sleep the most in the womb: up to 17 hours a day.
- Newborn babies sleep about the same amount: 14-16 hours.
- Babies between 3 and 11 months of age require 12 to 15 hours of sleep.
- At the age of 1-2 years – 11-14 hours.
- Preschoolers (3-5 years old) sleep 10-13 hours.
- Primary schoolchildren (6-13 years old) – 9-11 hours.
- Teenagers need 8-10 hours of rest at night.
- Adults (from 18 to 65 years old) – 7-9 hours.
- Elderly people over 65 years old – 7-8 hours.
Old people often suffer from insomnia due to ailments and physical inactivity during the day, so they sleep 5-7 hours, which in turn does not have the best impact on their health.
The value of sleep by hour
The value of sleep also depends on the time you go to bed: you can get enough sleep in an hour like a night or not get enough sleep at all. The table shows the phases of a person’s sleep by time of sleep efficiency:
| Time | The value of sleep |
| 19-20 hours | 7 o'clock |
| 20-21h. | 6 hours |
| 21-22 hours | 5 o'clock |
| 22-23 hours | 4 hours |
| 23-00 h. | 3 hours |
| 00-01h. | 2 hours |
| 01-02 hours | 1 hour |
| 02-03 hours | 30 minutes |
| 03-04 hours | 15 minutes |
| 04-05 hours | 7 minutes |
| 05-06 hours | 1 minute |
Our ancestors went to bed and got up according to the sun. Modern man goes to bed no earlier than one in the morning, the result is chronic fatigue, hypertension, oncology, neuroses.
With the actual value of sleep at least 8 hours, the body regained strength for the next day.
Some southern cultures have a tradition nap(siesta), and it is noted that the number of cases of stroke and heart attack there is significantly lower.
Features of awakening in each phase of sleep
Sleep is heterogeneous in its structure; it consists of several phases that have their own psychophysiological characteristics. Each phase is distinguished by specific manifestations of brain activity aimed at restoring different departments brain and body organs.
When it is better for a person to wake up according to the phases of sleep, how easy the awakening will be depends on the phase in which his sleep was interrupted.
During deep delta sleep, awakening is the most difficult due to incomplete neurochemical processes that occur during this stage. And here It is quite easy to wake up during REM sleep, despite the fact that during this period the most vivid, memorable and emotional dreams occur.
However constant shortage REM sleep can be detrimental to mental health. It is this phase that is necessary to restore neural connections between consciousness and subconscious.
Phases of sleep in humans
Features of the brain and its changes electromagnetic waves were studied after the invention of the electroencephalograph. An encephalogram clearly shows how changes in brain rhythms reflect the behavior and state of a sleeping person.
The main stages of sleep - slow and fast. They are uneven in duration. During sleep, the phases alternate, forming 4-5 wave-like cycles from 1.5 to less than 2 hours.
Each cycle consists of 4 phases of slow-wave sleep, associated with a gradual decrease in a person’s activity and immersion in sleep, and one of rapid sleep.
NREM sleep predominates in the initial sleep cycles and gradually decreases, while the duration of REM sleep increases in each cycle. The threshold for a person’s awakening changes from cycle to cycle.
Duration of the cycle from the beginning of slow-wave sleep to the end of fast sleep healthy people is about 100 minutes.
- Stage 1 is about 10% of sleep,
- 2nd – about 50%,
- 3rd 20-25% and REM sleep - the remaining 15-20%.
Slow (deep) sleep
It is difficult to answer unambiguously how long deep sleep should last, because its duration depends on what sleep cycle a person is in, so in cycles 1-3, the duration of the deep sleep phase can be more than an hour, and with each subsequent cycle the duration of deep sleep is greatly reduced.
The phase of slow, or orthodox, sleep is divided into 4 stages: drowsiness, sleep spindles, delta sleep, deep delta sleep.
Signs of slow-wave sleep are loud and rare breathing, less deep than during wakefulness, a general decrease in temperature, a decrease in muscle activity, smooth eye movements that freeze towards the end of the phase.
In this case, dreams are unemotional or absent; long and slow waves occupy an increasing place on the encephalogram.
It was previously believed that the brain rests at this time, but studies of its activity during sleep have refuted this theory.
Stages of slow-wave sleep
In the formation of slow-wave sleep, the leading role is played by such areas of the brain as the hypothalamus, raphe nuclei, nonspecific nuclei of the thalamus and the Moruzzi inhibitory center.
The main characteristic of slow-wave sleep (aka deep sleep) is anabolism: creation of new cells and cellular structures, tissue restoration; it occurs at rest, under the influence of anabolic hormones (steroids, growth hormone, insulin), proteins and amino acids. Anabolism leads to the accumulation of energy in the body as opposed to catabolism, which consumes it.
The anabolic processes of slow sleep begin at stage 2, when the body completely relaxes and recovery processes become possible.
It was noticed, by the way, that active physical labor During the day, it prolongs the deep sleep phase.
The onset of falling asleep is regulated by circadian rhythms, and they, in turn, depend on natural light. The approach of darkness serves as a biological signal to reduce daytime activity, and the time for rest begins.
Falling asleep itself is preceded by drowsiness: a decrease in motor activity and level of consciousness, dry mucous membranes, sticking eyelids, yawning, absent-mindedness, decreased sensitivity of the senses, slow heart rate, an irresistible desire to lie down, momentary lapses into sleep. This is how the active production of melatonin manifests itself in the pineal gland.
At this stage, the rhythms of the brain change insignificantly and you can return to wakefulness in a matter of seconds. Subsequent stages of deep sleep demonstrate an increasing loss of consciousness.
- Napping, or Non-REM(REM - from English rapid eye movement) - the 1st stage of falling asleep with half-asleep dreams and dream-like visions. Slow eye movements begin, body temperature decreases, heart rate slows down, and on the brain encephalogram, alpha rhythms that accompany wakefulness are replaced by theta rhythms (4-7 Hz), which indicate mental relaxation. In this state, a person often comes to a solution to a problem that he could not find during the day. A person can be brought out of slumber quite easily.
- Sleepy spindles – medium depth when consciousness begins to turn off, but the reaction to calling your child’s name or crying remains. The sleeper's body temperature and pulse rate decrease, muscle activity decreases; against the background of theta rhythms, the encephalogram reflects the appearance of sigma rhythms (these are altered alpha rhythms with a frequency of 12-18 Hz). Graphically, they resemble spindles; with each phase they appear less frequently, become wider in amplitude, and fade away.
- Delta– without dreams, in which the brain encephalogram shows deep and slow delta waves with a frequency of 1-3 Hz and a gradually decreasing number of spindles. The pulse quickens slightly, the breathing rate increases at a shallow depth, and decreases blood pressure, eye movements slow down even more. There is a blood flow to the muscles and active production of growth hormone, which indicates the restoration of energy costs.
- Deep delta sleep- complete immersion of a person into sleep. The phase is characterized by a complete shutdown of consciousness and a slowdown in the rhythm of delta wave oscillations on the encephalogram (less than 1 Hz). There is even no sensitivity to smells. The sleeping person's breathing is rare, irregular and shallow, and there is almost no movement of the eyeballs. This is a phase during which it is very difficult to wake a person. At the same time, he wakes up broken, poorly oriented in the environment and does not remember dreams. It is extremely rare in this phase that a person experiences nightmares, but they do not leave an emotional trace. The last two phases are often combined into one, and together they take 30-40 minutes. The usefulness of this stage of sleep affects the ability to remember information.
Stages of REM sleep
From the 4th stage of sleep, the sleeper briefly returns to the 2nd stage, and then the state of rapid eye movement sleep (REM sleep, or REM sleep) begins. In each subsequent cycle, the duration of REM sleep increases from 15 minutes to an hour, while sleep becomes less and less deep and the person approaches the threshold of awakening.
This phase is also called paradoxical, and here's why. The encephalogram again records fast alpha waves with low amplitude, as during wakefulness, but the neurons spinal cord are completely switched off to prevent any movement: the human body becomes as relaxed as possible, muscle tone drops to zero, this is especially noticeable in the mouth and neck area.
Physical activity manifests itself only in the appearance of rapid eye movements(REM), during the period of REM sleep in a person, the movement of the pupils under the eyelids is clearly noticeable, in addition, body temperature rises, the activity of the cardiovascular system and the adrenal cortex increases. Brain temperature also rises and may even slightly exceed its waking level. Breathing becomes either fast or slow, depending on the plot of the dream that the sleeper sees.
Dreams are usually vivid, with meaning and elements of fantasy. If a person is awakened in this phase of sleep, he will be able to remember and tell in detail what he dreamed.
People who are blind from birth do not have REM sleep, and their dreams consist not of visual, but of auditory and tactile sensations.
In this phase, the information received during the day is adjusted between the conscious and subconscious, and the process of distributing the energy accumulated in the slow, anabolic phase takes place.
Experiments on mice confirm that REM sleep is much more important than non-REM sleep. That is why awakening in this phase artificially is unfavorable.
Sequence of sleep stages
The sequence of sleep stages is the same in healthy adults. However, age and various sleep disorders can fundamentally change the picture.
Newborn sleep, for example, consists of more than 50% REM sleep., only by the age of 5 the duration and sequence of stages becomes the same as in adults, and remains in this form until old age.
In older years, the duration of the rapid phase decreases to 17-18%, and the phases of delta sleep may disappear: this is how age-related insomnia manifests itself.
There are people who, as a result of a head or spinal cord injury, cannot sleep fully (their sleep is similar to light and brief oblivion or half-asleep without dreams) or go without sleep at all.
Some people experience numerous and prolonged awakenings, due to which a person is completely sure that he did not sleep a wink during the night. Moreover, each of them can wake up not only during the REM sleep phase.
Narcolepsy and apnia are diseases that demonstrate atypical progression of sleep stages.
In the case of narcolepsy, the patient suddenly enters the REM phase and can fall asleep anywhere and at any time, which can be fatal for him and those around him.
Apnia is characterized by sudden stop breathing in sleep. Among the reasons are a delay in the respiratory impulse coming from the brain to the diaphragm, or excessive relaxation of the muscles of the larynx. A decrease in the level of oxygen in the blood provokes a sharp release of hormones into the blood, and this forces the sleeper to wake up.
There can be up to 100 such attacks per night, and they are not always recognized by the person, but in general the patient does not receive proper rest due to the absence or insufficiency of certain phases of sleep.
If you have apnea, it is very dangerous to use sleeping pills; they can cause death from sleep apnea.
Also, the duration and sequence of sleep stages can be influenced by emotional predisposition. People with “thin skin” and those who are temporarily experiencing difficulties in life have an extended REM phase. And in manic states, the REM stage is reduced to 15-20 minutes throughout the night.
Rules for healthy sleep
Adequate sleep means health, strong nerves, good immunity and an optimistic outlook on life. You should not think that time passes in a dream uselessly. Lack of sleep can not only have a detrimental effect on your health, but also cause tragedy..
There are several rules for healthy sleep that ensure sound sleep at night and, as a result, excellent health and high performance during the day:
- Stick to a bedtime and wake-up schedule. It is best to go to bed no later than 11 pm, and all sleep should take at least 8, ideally 9 hours.
- Sleep must necessarily cover the period from midnight to five in the morning, during these hours it produces maximum amount melatonin – the hormone of longevity.
- You should not eat food 2 hours before bedtime, as a last resort, drink a glass of warm milk. It is best to avoid alcohol and caffeine in the evening.
- An evening walk will help you fall asleep faster.
- If you have difficulty falling asleep, it is advisable to take a warm bath before bed with an infusion of soothing herbs (motherwort, oregano, chamomile, lemon balm) and sea salt.
- Be sure to ventilate the room before going to bed. You can sleep with the window slightly open and the door closed, or open the window in the next room (or in the kitchen) and the door. To avoid catching a cold, it is better to sleep in socks. The temperature in the bedroom should not fall below +18 C.
- It is healthier to sleep on a flat and hard surface, and use a bolster instead of a pillow.
- Stomach position is the worst position for sleeping, the position on your back is most beneficial.
- After waking up, a little physical activity is advisable: exercise or jogging, and, if possible, swimming.
Hello, dear blog readers! I don’t know about you, but I have always been interested in the topic of sleep. I’ve heard a lot of all sorts of theories and guesses about it: about slow-wave sleep, and about fast sleep, and about all its various phases. But I’ve never “tested” this myself. I heard, and that's all. But I just didn’t have enough brains to dig deeper 🙂 (although I already wrote an article about healthy sleep before, which means I did a little digging).
So today I decided to improve and fill this gap in knowledge. Well, as usual, everyone interesting information What I find on the Internet, I openly share with you.
Classification of stages
So, the first thing I came across was the most simplest classification, known to us since school. According to it, the stages of sleep are divided into:
- fast ;
- and slow.
Moreover, each stage has its own “substages”. So, fast sleep is divided into:
- emotional;
- unemotional.
A slow on the:
- nap;
- sleep spindles;
- delta sleep;
- deep delta sleep.
I don’t see the point in going deeper into each of these points - there is little interesting there (mainly the difference in brain wave activity and all that). Better take a look at this table of differences between the stages that I compiled for you:
Well, now let's determine what happens to us when we fall asleep and how all these stages alternate with each other. Now this is a little more interesting, isn’t it?
Sequence of stages
1) After we got into bed and started to fall asleep, it activates first stage of sleep(or the drowsiness stage).
It lasts about 5-10 minutes, no more. As a rule, in this short period of time our brain does not have time to “calm down” and is still quite active: it solves the latest tasks, problems - in general, it works by inertia :)
2) Then follows second stage of slow-wave sleep.
Here there is a decrease in muscle activity, slowing of breathing and heart rate. The eyes remain motionless. At this stage there are a number of short moments at which the person is most easily awakened. This stage of sleep lasts about 20 minutes.
3) The third and fourth stages of sleep are very similar to each other and last about 30-45 minutes (the difference is only in the number of delta oscillations - that’s why they are called “delta” and “deep delta” dreams).
4) After this the person returns again into the 2nd stage of slow-wave sleep(described above), and after it goes into the first part of the fast* (very short - only about five minutes).
*Please note that REM sleep occurs only after passing through all 4 (or rather five: 4 forward, and one back :)) phases of slow sleep.
This entire sequence of four points described above is called cycle. The time of the first such cycle is about 90-100 minutes.
What do we do for the remaining 5-6 hours?
It’s simple: the rest of the time these phases are repeated under only one condition: the share of REM sleep increases by reducing the share of slow sleep (in the morning, the REM sleep stage can last an hour - as it is written on Wikipedia). With full healthy holiday About five such cycles are observed.
Wow, well, it seems like I explained everything clearly :) Now that we know what is going on and why, let’s try to answer the question: “ When is the best time to wake up? ».
So when is the best time to wake up?
So, I found several ways to determine the best time to rise.
1) Here is this resource. Based on algorithms known only to them, the calculator calculates optimal time for awakening. All you need to do is enter the time you want to fall asleep and click “calculate”.
For example, if I fall asleep at 23:00 (as usually happens), it’s best for me to wake up at 6:00. Who knows, maybe this is true (since I woke up at 6:25 today and waking up was not the easiest - fortunately, a contrast shower helped out) :) Tomorrow I’ll try to get up at 6:00.
2) You can also use this table. I don’t know who its author is, but everything is presented very clearly and intelligibly - many thanks to him for that.
The phases of REM sleep are highlighted in green, and slow-wave sleep in red. And if you believe this scheme, then it is best to wake up at the very end of the first phase - moreover, REM sleep. This time is even marked with an alarm clock.
According to the time scale (x-axis), it is best to wake up seven hours after falling asleep. In principle, everything is the same: if you look at the screenshot above (point 1), then for me, falling asleep at 23:00, it is best to get up at 6:00 - the picture is the same here. That's it, tomorrow I get up exactly at 6:00! If I don’t forget, I’ll write to you about my successes :)
Did you know?
Well, we've sorted out the stages of sleep, best time for awakening determined. What shall we do now? Oh, I have an idea! Let's find out how animals sleep!
Did you know, What:
- cats sleep 16 hours a day;
- giraffes, before falling asleep, kneel down and bend their heads around their legs;
- dolphins and cetaceans have the ability to sleep unilaterally (this is when one hemisphere of the brain sleeps and the other is awake). Among marine inhabitants, this is explained by the need to surface to gain air during sleep.
- Birds can sleep not only while standing, but even on the fly! (migrating birds have developed an interesting mechanism: every 15 minutes one individual flies into the very center of the flock and falls asleep, only slightly working its wings. It hovers in the air mainly due to the air flow of the flock. After a kind of rest, it returns, giving way to others) .
Agree that in our case everything is not so bad - when there is a soft bed, a blanket and a pillow under your head :)
Let's summarize
Well, I think I told you everything I wanted to talk about. I hope the article was not too confusing, although sleep phases are a rather complicated thing.
That's all. Good luck to you, dear readers, and all the best. Take care of your health, both physical and mental, and do not forget to visit my blog pages.
To be honest, I still don't understand the intention of the author of this video. Well, why, why wake up a sleeping tit, and in this way too? 🙂
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