Sleep - Go To Sleep - Sleep REM - Sleep Levels

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In Macbeth, William Shakespeare refers to sleep as being the 'Chief nourisher in life's feast.' Indeed, any person who has had a particularly tough day will be able to vouch for the restorative powers of a good night's rest!

Typically, sleep cycles run in phases of 5 ranging from Drowsiness to REM sleep. Each stage of sleep has its own unique characteristics which are based on the electrical rhythms of the brain. These electrical rhythms range from alpha waves to delta waves and are constantly changing throughout the night.

Stage one, or Drowsiness as it is sometimes called is characterised by waves known as Alpha Waves. These waves are slightly slower than the Beta waves which occur during periods of consciousness. Generally during this stage, individuals will experience sensations of peace, relaxation and euphoria.

Stage two is best described as the stage in which many people experience the feeling of falling followed by a sudden jolt back to consciousness. During stage two, the muscles of the body become totally relaxed and muscular response and co ordination cease. Brain waves also slow down even further and transform from alpha waves to theta waves. As theta waves increase, the transition is gradually made from stage two sleep to stage three sleep. Following this, brain waves decelerate further to become incredibly slow delta waves. These delta waves mark the beginning of stage four sleep.

As the level of sleep deepens and delta waves increase, the body enters stage five of the sleep cycle. During this cycle, muscles relax even further and body temperature drops. The body goes into healing mode as cells and tissues are repaired and energy levels replenished. It is also during this stage that abnormal sleeping behaviours such as sleepwalking are most likely to occur.

Following stage five, the sleep cycle reverses until stage two is reached once again. It is then that a phenomenon known as Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep occurs. The REM stage is the phase in which dreaming occurs and is characterised by an erratic heartbeat, irregular breathing and inconsistent blood pressure. The majority of large and small muscles in the body become paralysed- the body's way of ensuring that we do not attempt to physically act out the scenarios of our dreams. This is also the stage of sleep which is effected by the sleep disoreder known as Narcolepsy. Narcoleptics will experience this stage first in their sleep cycle as opposed to last.

On an ordinary night, a normal sleeper will go through approximately three to five cycles of sleep, each lasting around 100 minutes. Conversely, individuals suffering from sleep disorders such as sleep apnea will normally only enter the superficial stages of sleep before jolting back into consciousness. Thus they never get to experience the restorative properties of REM and deep sleep. Similarly, sleeping medications and alcohol interfere with both deep sleep and REM sleep which may explain why those making use of them rise after a full night's rest still feeling tired.

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