| Just exactly what is going on in your body when | | | | experience the repeating cycle of falling asleep |
| you close your eyes and faultlessly? A perfect | | | | and waking up several times. It is during this first |
| answer to that is the sleep stages. | | | | stage of sleep that you began to feel more |
| Even though you are at rest, not every part of | | | | sleepy and begin to lose control over your body's |
| your body is resting and quiet. In particular, the | | | | muscles. It is also during this time that your eye |
| brain is a busy little beaver sitting out all sorts of | | | | movements begin to slow. Some people even |
| signals, which are helping to control the stages of | | | | experience a sudden jerking of the muscles during |
| sleep through which you are passing. Muscle | | | | this stage of sleep. |
| activity and rapid eye movements change | | | | The stage of sleep that takes up the majority of |
| throughout the various stages of sleep as well. | | | | the night is known as stage two. It is during stage |
| Currently there are five different stages of sleep | | | | two that your eyes stop moving, your heart rate |
| which have been identified by researchers | | | | slows, your body temperature lowers and your |
| throughout the years. And on a good night of | | | | brain waves slow. There may also be short bursts |
| sleep you will travel through each and every one | | | | of eye movement during stage two as well. |
| of the five stages of sleep. In fact you will pass | | | | Once the body reaches a deep sleep this is |
| through them several times during the night. While | | | | known as stages three and four. During these |
| there are five distinct stages of sleep, the first | | | | two stages of sleep the brain waves are |
| four stages of sleep are logged to gather and are | | | | extremely slow. During this stage the muscles and |
| known as the State non--rapid eye movement or | | | | eyes are also completely still. |
| NREM. The fifth and final stage of sleep is the | | | | Always following a period of NREM sleep, the REM |
| stage known as rapid eye movement or REM | | | | stage takes place throughout the sleep period and |
| sleep. | | | | makes up approximately a quarter of the total |
| The various states of NREM and REM are | | | | sleep period. The first REM occurs at the end of |
| distinguished by the changes in the brain wave | | | | Stage 1 and lasts about 10 minutes and the final |
| activity that takes place during sleep. REM sleep is | | | | REM stage lasts around 60 minutes. So ff you |
| also characterized by irregular but rapid breathing | | | | sleep for 8 or 9 hours, then you will generally |
| and heartbeat, an increase in blood pressure, an | | | | experience REM sleep 4 or 5 times. |
| increase in brain activity and essentially absent | | | | Repeating throughout the sleep period, numerous |
| muscle activity. | | | | sleep cycles take place during a single sleep |
| NREM and REM sleep take place throughout the | | | | episode. So as you continue to progress through |
| time you are asleep. Typically during the time that | | | | the sleep cycles during a sleep period, the amount |
| you are sleeping during the first one third of the | | | | of your REM sleep naturally increases. |
| night will consist of NREM sleep, while the sleep | | | | The important thing to remember is that your |
| you enjoyed during the last one third of the night | | | | body requires uninterrupted movement through |
| is typically REM sleep. It is from this stage of | | | | the sleep cycles in order to achieve the |
| sleep from which you generally awake. | | | | best-quality sleep that your body needs. So know |
| During the stages of sleep the first stage of sleep | | | | that you understand the sleep cycles, you can |
| is known as a transitional period. During this time | | | | determine what works best for you to get your |
| you can be quite easily awakened and will | | | | best night of sleep. |