What is sleep cycle called?

Are you tired of not understanding what your body is up to when it goes into sleep mode each night? Fear no more, fellow human! Today we’re diving headfirst into the wild world of circadian rhythms and sleep cycles, so buckle up (or should we say, tuck in?) for a ride.

What Even is Sleep?

Before we can talk about sleep cycles, let’s take a step back and ask the big question: what even is sleep? Well folks, turns out there’s still no clear consensus on that one. Some scientists think it’s simply a period of rest for our bodies (but then why do our minds keep chugging along with those darn dreams?), while others believe it serves some kind of restorative function for both brain and body.

One thing everyone can agree on though: without something resembling sleep in our lives, things start falling apart pretty quickly. So whether you’re catching 8 hours every night like clockwork or surviving off three hours here and there like some sort of nocturnal ninja warrior…congratulations! You’re doing something right-ish.

Enter: Circadian Rhythms

Now brace yourselves folks, because this bit gets technical. At the heart of all things sleep-related lies something called a circadian rhythm (cue dramatic music). Essentially what that means is that there are certain natural biological processes hardwired into your body that happen at regular intervals–usually around once per day–and they help dictate when you feel alert versus drowsy.

Your circadian rhythm depends heavily on exposure to sunlight/darkness; without these cues from nature telling us “hey bud, it’s time to be awake” or “ok now hit snooze”, humans have been known to slip into wacky territory (ahem, looking at you, blackout curtains).

Some factors that can throw off your circadian rhythm include: jet lag, shift work, staying up all night playing Fortnite…you get the idea. When any of these things happen, it can mess with your internal ‘clock’ and lead to sleep issues.

But enough sciencey stuff–let’s talk about everybody’s favorite topic: themselves!

What is a Sleep Cycle?

So you’re lying there in bed, relaxing and enjoying some much-needed zzzzs…but have you ever stopped to wonder what exactly is happening inside that brain of yours? That’s where sleep cycles come in.

A sleep cycle refers to the progression through different stages of sleep over the course of one ‘cycle’, which typically lasts around 90 minutes (!). These stages are broken down into two main categories:

  1. Non-REM (short for “non-rapid eye movement”) stages:
  2. Stage 1
  3. Stage 2
  4. Stage 3

  5. REM (which stands for “rapid eye movement”, although honestly that sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie) stage

So What Happens During Each Stage?

Glad you asked! Here’s a handy chart (gasp, we love tables!) showing approximately what happens during each phase:

Sleep Stage What happens?
Stage 1 This is the transition period between being wide awake and actually asleep; it usually only lasts a few minutes
Stage 2 You become more detached from your surroundings and begin experiencing slight drops in body temperature/heartrate
Stage 3 The deepest stage of NREM sleep; this is when your breathing becomes deeper/slower & blood pressure dips
REM Your eyes start darting back & forth behind closed lids (hence the name), muscles relax but brain activity picks up as if you were awake

What’s interesting is that each cycle doesn’t necessarily follow the same pattern; it’s entirely possible to skip entire stages, or stay in one stage longer than another. And as we all know, sometimes our brains like to toss some wacky dreams into the mix just to keep things spicy.

Why Do We Even Need Sleep Cycles?

Good question! As it turns out, moving through different sleep stages is important for both physical and mental health reasons. Different processes happen during different phases–for instance, your body produces growth hormones during Stage 3 NREM or memories get consolidated during REM.

Basically what we’re saying is: if you want a healthy brain and body (which hopefully you do), messing with your sleep cycles can have serious consequences over time.

But wait…why are there such big differences in how much people need each night?

The Never-Ending Debate Over How Much Sleep You Actually Need

We’ve all heard variations of the classic “8 hours per night” advice–but as always happens with scientific research, there’s more nuance involved here than a simple ‘one-size-fits-all’ answer. Here are some factors that can affect how much snooze-time your body needs:

  • Age
  • Genetics
  • Lifestyle factors (like diet & exercise)
  • Medical conditions/medications

So while some lucky ducks might feel totally refreshed after just 5 hours of shuteye (what?!) others might find themselves struggling unless they get at least 10 hours each night.

Wrapping Up: What Can I Do To Optimize My Sleep Cycle?

If you’ve made it this far into our little journey together (congrats!), you’re probably wondering what practical steps you can take towards ensuring better restorative kip sessions each night. Here are some tips from researchers/experts on optimizing your slumber:

  1. Stick to a consistent bedtime/wake-up routine (even on weekends)
  2. Make your bedroom a calming space, free from technology/distractions
  3. Keep alcohol/caffeine intake in check, especially before bedtime
  4. Avoid using electronic devices right before you’re due to hit the hay
  5. Exercise regularly (but not too close to bedtime!)

One final thing we want to stress here: if you’re really struggling with sleep issues, don’t be afraid to reach out and seek professional help! Many people suffer for years without realizing what could be done differently–so take that first step towards getting some much-needed rest.

And remember folks…while none of us may fully understand the intricacies of whatever’s going on inside our brains while we slumber each night, it’s nice that there are so many folks out there working hard to figure it all out (go science!)

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