Getting adequate sleep benefits us in many ways and is crucial for a better quality of life. Some of these benefits include:
Replenishing your immune system to fight off infection and sickness
Enhancing memory retention and learning
Bettering your mood
Building muscle
Optimizing energy and alertness
Lowering blood pressure
Repairing injuries
Conversely, when you don’t get adequate sleep, there are negative effects. The likelihood of these increase the longer you go without adequate rest:
Increased risk for infection and getting ill
Lack of energy and focus
Forgetfulness
Depression or anxiety
Weight gain
Increase of chance of chronic diseases such as cancer or Alzheimer’s
When you sleep, you go through four different stages of sleep, over and over throughout the night. These four stages are:
Stage 1 Light Sleep
Stage 2 Light Sleep
Deep Sleep
REM Sleep
Stage 1 Light Sleep is the initial stage and usually lasts a few minutes. In this stage:
Muscles start to relax and you may experience twitches.
Breathing and heart rate begin to slow down.
Brain waves begin to slow.
In Stage 2 Light Sleep, your body moves into a slightly deeper sleep than Stage 1, and it acts as a bridge to the deeper stages of sleep. This is the stage of sleep we typically spend the most time in throughout the night, and here's what happens:
Heart rate and breathing slow down further
Body temperature drops, preparing your body for deeper sleep.
Brain activity continues to slow, but you experience short bursts of electrical activity known as sleep spindles, which help process memories and learning.
Deep Sleep (also called slow-wave sleep) is where your body goes through critical restorative processes. In this stage, the following takes place:
Breathing and heart rate reach their lowest levels as your body is fully relaxed.
Muscles relax even more, making it difficult to wake up easily.
Tissue growth and repair occur, and your body releases growth hormones that aid in muscle and cell regeneration.
Brain activity slows significantly, allowing for waste to clear from the brain.
REM (Rapid Eye Movement) Sleep is the stage of sleep where most dreaming occurs. This stage is crucial for memory and learning, as well as mental and emotional restoration. Here’s what happens during REM sleep:
Rapid eye movements occur under the eyelids, hence the name.
Brain activity increases, becoming more similar to wakefulness, but your body remains in a state of paralysis to prevent you from acting out dreams.
Breathing becomes irregular, and heart rate and blood pressure may rise, similar to waking levels.
How to ensure you get a good night of sleep? Here are some of the best tips known to enhance quantity and quality of sleep:
Stick to a consistent sleep schedule and try to go to bed at the same time each night
Create a relaxing bedtime routine
Restrict exposure to blue light before bed (phones, TVs, laptops, etc)
Keep your bedroom cool, very dark and quiet
Avoid eating before bed
Avoid caffeine late in the day
Do not drink alcohol, especially at night as it destroys your REM Sleep
Exercise regularly but try not to work out right before bed
Sleep Series videos
Sleep Series 1 - How Much Sleep is Enough?
Sleep Series 2 - 12 Tips to Help Optimize Sleep
Sleep Series 3 - What are the Major Phases of Sleep?
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