Did you know if it takes you more than 5 minutes to fall asleep at night it means you are sleep deprived!
My last blog was about REM sleep. REM sleep is one of the two stages in our sleep cycle. Now it’s time to explain NREM sleep.
NREM sleep stages
There are 3 stages to NREM. There was 4 but that was changed in 2007 by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
- #1- Transition to sleep: Alpha waves (a type of brain wave) turn into the theta wave that can cause hypnic jerks or twitching. Hypnic jerks is a sign of an irregular sleep schedule.
- #2- Light sleep: NREM starts and it’s really easy to be awakened at this time. Dreaming is rare at this level.
- #3- Deep sleep & more intense deep sleep: Slow wave sleep (SWS) Difficult to be awakened by the sound of a certain volume. The fourth step is now combined with this step.
Stage 3 is the most important stage in your sleep. If you don’t reach a level 3 stage (please remember on the graph is drops to stage 4 but stage 3 and 4 are the same stages now.) this is why your body feels groggy and disoriented when you wake up. Your body needs to reach level 3 at least 4 times in order for your body to complete its sleep cycle. If not, your body will want to make up this sleep somehow.
Stage 3 is the most important stage. I assume this is the reasons why my parents had such a strict rule not to disturb anyone while they’re asleep.
Too bad my sister and her friends found it hilarious to pull pranks on me while I was asleep. Yes, Rina, I remember the whipped cream, the toothpaste, hand in warm water and especially the “let’s drench Juls’ underwear then freeze it.” pranks… so funny :/ And to make things even worse, all this happened in just one night! I have slept with one eye open ever since.
Fun NREM facts
- Snoring only occurs in non-rem sleep
- NREM dreams are repetitive and involve thought
- Elephants stand up for NREM sleep but lay down for REM sleep
- The record for the longest period without sleep is 18 days, 21 hours, 40 minutes during a rocking chair marathon. The record holder reported hallucinations, paranoia, blurred vision, slurred speech and memory and concentration lapses.
Go to bed when you are tired and allow your body to wake you up on its own. Once you are on a proper routine your body will soon wake itself up naturally on the 8-hour mark. This way you know you have completed all the necessary cycles for your body to rejuvenate itself.