Stages of Sleep
Do you ever go to bed and when you wake up in the morning, you are still exhausted? That may be due to the fact that you didn’t experience REM sleep. When you rest there are five stages of sleep:
Stage one is when you drift in and out of wakefulness. Your eyes are closed, but it is easy for you to wake up.
Stage two is light sleep, where your body begins to prepare for deep sleep. Your heart rate begins to slow, body temperature drops, and your eye movement and brain waves slow down.
Stage three is when you have finally reached deep sleep and are in REM sleep. It is hardest for you to wake up at this stage and if you do, you will feel disoriented for a few minutes afterward.
Stage four is where deep sleep continues as your brain produces slow delta waves. Your muscles relax and your body is able to repair and re-grow tissue at this point. Your hormones are also released and your energy stores get refilled.
Stage five is the final stage of sleep, where dreams occur. Your eyes are closed, but they quickly move back and forth, due to intense dream and brain activity.
You need to achieve all five stages of sleep nightly so your mind and body can be well-rested, your cells repaired and you can recharge so you can function better the next day.
To learn more about the importance of rest and common sleep problems that may be preventing it, visit the Sleep Fitness Toolkit to get the most out of your rest.
