It doesn’t matter if it’s caused by excess stress or other factors, there are an estimated 50 to 70 million Americans that suffer from regular sleep-related issues. To understand and better face these problems, you need to understand how the body works.
Throughout this article, we will be going over some of the different stages of sleep and some of the consequences of not getting enough of it. Along with this, we will be going over some of the best habits that you can start integrating into your routine to improve your quality of sleep like a good quality mattress, find the risks of buying a Denver mattress in these helpful reviews. Lastly, we will be going over where you can get help if you end up needing sleep treatment.
The Various Stages Of Sleep
There are a lot of people that suffer from the inability to fall asleep or the inability to stay asleep throughout the night. Some don’t have this problem at all but may wonder whether or not they need better quality sleep. The truth is, the answer is likely, “yes.” However, to fully understand, you’ll want to know some of the stages of sleep that your body goes through when you get a normal night of rest. These stages are referred to as “Non-Rapid Eye Movement” or (NREM) and “Rapid Eye Movement” or (REM). Your body cycles through a total of (4) stages and the last ones are the most important.
- During this stage, you will have your eyes closed, but you can still wake up rather easily. This stage typically only lasts around 5 to 10 minutes.
- The second stage is longer around 10 to 25 minutes. This stage is where your body lowers its internal temperature and slows down your heart rate. It does this to prep your body for a full night of rest. Your brain will also start to begin sleep spindles. Sleep spindles are where your brain starts to experience fast and rhythmic wave activity.
- During this stage, your body starts to lower blood pressure levels and everything in your body relaxes. It’s considered the transitional stage between a lighter and deeper sleep. After your body goes through this stage, it does bounce back to stage 2 before proceeding to stage 4.
- Once your body starts to enter REM sleep, your body stops moving. It’s when you are in a state of complete relaxation. This is when your eyes start to move rapidly and your brain gets its most active. This is also known as the dread state. It’s the deepest stage of your sleep cycle. Before you wake up, your body bounces back to stage 2.
The Consequences Of Not Getting Quality Sleep
Every adult needs a good 7 to 9 hours of quality sleep for optimal performance and health. Anyone that is getting fewer than 7 hours of sleep could be considered clinically sleep deprived. This is where you start to experience mental and physical effects from a lack of sleep.
There is a multitude of different things that can cause this type of sleep deprivation. For one, it could be the direct result of your stress levels. Another could be an underlying medical condition. It could even be a sleep disorder. If you do suffer from sleep deprivation, you could experience:
– An increased risk of diabetes
– Weight gain
– Pain
– Poor immune system function
All of these things can drastically reduce your quality of life. It should go without saying, sleep is essential for optimal health. Luckily, there are plenty of things you can do to improve your sleep so you don’t have to experience the consequences of sleep deprivation.
