Stages of Sleep

The stages of sleep often have been discussed in terms of what they are. It is also important to understand what they mean to your overall sleep health. Since the early 20th century, researchers have understood that there are five stages. Sometimes, a sixth stage, called waking, is included. During these stages, the body and mind go through a cycle of sleep levels, transitioning from one to the next.

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The five stages form a pattern of sleep. Individuals cycle through this pattern several times per night. In doing so, they are able to get the quality rest they need. Four of the five stages are Non REM stages. During these first four stages, the body moves deeper into sleep, slowly. Stage one involves only drowsiness, with about a 50 percent reduction in the amount of brain activity as when you are awake. Stages two through four continue to deepen sleep levels. Non REM sleep lasts between 90 and 120 minutes.

The final stage is an REM stage. REM, or Rapid Eye Movement, is the stage in which an individual dreams. It is also the deepest level of sleep. During this phase, the brain is moving quickly. You have an accelerated respiration. The level of brain activity jumps considerably. Eye movement is happening and muscles relax farther. REM sleep usually lasts about 90 minutes.

What many individuals do not realize about the sleep cycle is that it does not necessarily go from stage four to stage five. Rather, there is a lapse in the pattern. According to researchers, the body goes through the pattern as follows: Stage 1, 2, 3, 4, then stage 3, 2, and finally on to REM sleep in stage five. In REM sleep, the brain is near fully active.

As your sleep cycle progresses, there are significant changes to it. Your mind and body changes in the quality of sleep you are getting. It also changes in length. The first cycle ends after the first REM stage. From here, it repeats several times throughout the night. The length of time in each stage of sleep also changes. The first four stages will shorten while the REM stage lengths. By the end of the night, you are getting more REM sleep than at the beginning of the night.

Sleep quality is dependent on the amount of time an individual spends in REM sleep. If you suffer from a sleep disorder, the quality of sleep is minimized due to the less time spent in REM sleep. There are also various conditions affecting the stages of sleep:

• Sleep Deprivation: The inability to sleep, for any reason, can cause an individual to get less REM sleep. This can lead to complications including loss of short-term memory and the inability to concentrate caused by [[Causes of Sleep Deprivation|sleep deprivation].
• Stress: Stress keeps the mind active and limits the ability to reach REM sleep in some individuals. Reducing stress is often a way to improve overall sleep quality and reduce sleep problems.
• Environmental Concerns: The environment in which you sleep affects the sleep pattern. Temperature, noise, light, and even the time of day all affect the ability to go to sleep and stay asleep long enough to move through the stages properly.
• Depression: Depression affects sleep quality. It causes a shortening of REM sleep. This keeps an individual from getting enough quality sleep, which in turn can worsen depression symptoms.
• Medications: Some medications, especially those used to treat psychiatric conditions like depression, can worsen sleep patterns by altering them. This can lead to insomnia in some patients.

Those who may be suffering from a sleep problem often have a psychological or physical problem stopping them from going through the stages of sleep properly. Sleep studies occur to monitor the movement through the stages to pinpoint problems with the cycle. This allows doctors to determine treatment options for the individual.

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