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By Dr. POOJA SHARMA | November 3rd, 2022 | A 4-minute read...
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I quote myself, "Sleep is a natural phenomenon of living beings." Yes, it's an innate ability, determined to be the natural form of activity in any living being's existence. But, how many of us have this inborn capacity fully functional?
Okay, let's understand the process further...
Even after decades of research, the exact reason why we sleep remains one of the most enduring and intriguing mysteries in health science. Experts attempt to analyze how sleep works and what happens when we sleep and what if we don’t sleep enough.
So, What Happens When We Sleep?
During sleep, our body undergoes a series of changes that enable the REST that is vital to our overall health. Sleep allows the brain and body to slow down and engage in processes of recovery, promoting better physical and mental performance the next day and over the long-term.
When we don’t get enough sleep these fundamental processes are short-circuited, affecting our thinking, concentration, energy levels, and mood. As a result, getting the sleep we need i.e. 7 to 9 hours for adults and even more for children and teens — is imperatively crucial.
Remember the point, "the effects of sleep on the body vary depending on the stage of sleep" I emphasized in my prevoius article?
How Does Our Sleep Change During The Night?
A quality sleep period is the progress through 4 to 5 sleep cycles. Each sleep cycle is made up of 4 individual sleep stages.
The 4 stages of sleep are further broken down into 2 categories: rapid eye movement (REM) and non-REM sleep (Non-REM). The first 3 stages of sleep are composed of non-REM activity.
Stage 1 is short, representing the act of dozing off and transitioning into sleep.
In Stage 2 the body and mind slow down as you settle into sleep. It’s easiest to be awoken during these first two stages.
In Stage 3, also known as deep sleep, the body is in recovery mode, slowing down even further. At the same time, overall brain activity slows and indicates pattern of pulses of activity that are believed to help prevent unwanted awakenings.
The 4th stage is REM sleep. During REM periods, brain activity shoots back up to levels similar to when you’re awake – which explains why REM is associated with the most intense dreams. While breathing and heart rate increase during REM sleep, most muscles are paralyzed, which keeps us from acting out those vivid dreams.
Each sleep cycle takes between 70 to 120 minutes.
In the first sleep cycles of the night, more time is spent in non-REM sleep. The majority of REM sleep happens during the second half of the night. The progression of sleep stages and cycles in one sleep period is known as sleep architecture.
Got it? No? Yes? Alright, follow the below sleep chart:
What Happens To Our Brain And Body During Sleep?
Every parts of the body undergoes notable changes during sleep. Research demonstartes, upon falling asleep, thousands of neurons in the brain switch from waking to sleep state, sending signals throughout the body. Also, reinforces the cardiovascular and immune systems and helps regulate metabolism.
What happens during sleep can be seen in notable changes in the core processes of the body:
Breathing slows during non-REM sleep with respiration reaching its lowest rates during deep sleep stage three. Breathing ramps up and may become irregular during REM sleep.
Heart Rate - as with breathing, HR begins to slow during Stage 1 and reaches its slowest pace during Stage 3. On the other hand, during REM sleep, the pulse quickens to nearly the same rate as when awake.
Muscle Tone - muscles gradually relax during each stage of non-REM sleep, and the body’s total energy expenditure* drops. During the REM stage, most muscles are paralyzed in a condition known as atonia. This keeps the legs and arms from flailing in response to dream content. Respiratory and eye muscles stay active, the darting of the eyes behind closed eyelids is the inspiration for the name rapid eye movement sleep.
Brain Activity - in the early parts of non-REM sleep, brain waves slow down considerably; however, in Stage 2 and Stage 3, there are numerous quick bursts of brain activity. In REM sleep, brain activity accelerates; this heightened brain activity is why REM sleep is known as the stage most associated with vivid dreaming. REM sleep is thought to enable critical cognitive abilities, including memory consolidation but non-REM sleep facilitates proper brain function while awake.
Dreaming - is most prevalent and intense during REM sleep, but it can occur during any stage of sleep. That said, non - REM sleep have different patterns and REM dreams often be more fanciful, immersive, or bizarre.
Hormone Levels - sleep and the body’s internal clock, i.e. CIRCADIAN RHYTHM, play an important role in regulating the production of various hormones including:
Melatonin, which helps promote sleep
Growth hormone, which supports bone and muscle development as well as metabolism
Cortisol, which is part of the body’s stress response system
Leptin and ghrelin, which helps control appetite
Hormone levels fluctuate during different sleep stages, and quality of sleep may also affect daytime hormone production.
How are you all doing out there guys...? Staying tuned?
Let me know your queries, if any, in the comments section below.
*TEE/TDEE - Total energy expenditure/Total daily energy expenditure is the number of calories you burn throughout a 24-hour period.
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