Issue link: http://cp.revolio.com/i/165102
Importance of Deep Sleep & REM Sleep It's not just the number of hours in bed that's important – it's the quality of those hours of sleep. If you're giving yourself plenty of time for sleep, but you're still having trouble waking up in the morning or staying alert all day, you may not be spending enough time in the different stages of sleep. difficult, due to light and excess noise. • Smoking or drinking in the evening. Substances like alcohol and nicotine can disrupt deep sleep. It's best to limit them before bed. Each stage of sleep in the sleep cycle offers benefits to the sleeper. However, deep sleep (Stages 3 and 4) and REM sleep are particularly important. A normal adult spends approximately 50% of total sleep time in Stage 2 sleep, 20% in REM sleep, and 30% in the remaining stages, including deep sleep. REM Sleep Just as deep sleep renews the body, REM sleep renews the mind by playing a key role in learning and memory. During REM sleep, your brain consolidates and processes the information you've learned during the day, forms neural connections that strengthen memory, and replenishes its supply of neurotransmitters, Deep Sleep including feel-good chemicals like serotonin The most damaging effects of sleep and dopamine that boost your mood during deprivation are from inadequate deep sleep. the day. Deep sleep is a time when the body repairs itself and builds up energy for the day ahead. To get more mind and mood-boosting REM It plays a major role in maintaining your sleep, try sleeping an extra 30 minutes to an health, stimulating growth and development, hour in the morning, when REM sleep stages repairing muscles and tissues, and boosting are longer. Improving your overall sleep will your immune system. In order to wake up also increase your REM sleep. If you aren't energized and refreshed, getting quality getting enough deep sleep, your body will try to make that up first, at the expense of REM deep sleep is essential. sleep. Factors that can lead to poor or inadequate deep sleep include: • Being woken during the night by outside noise, for example, or in order to care for a crying baby • Working night shifts or swing shifts. Getting quality deep sleep during the day can be Page 20 | Abby's Magazine - www.AbbysHealthAndNutrition.com