What Are The Kinds Of Sleep & Are Some Better Than Others?
Sleep. Snooze. Drowse. Doze. It all comes down to the same thing, right? After all, you’re just off to dreamland.
Well, turns out it’s actually a little bit more complicated than just that. In fact, there are four different kinds of sleep, and we need them all to function optimally as healthy, active human beings.
Okay, so before we take a look at the different types of sleep - here’s a very interesting thing to note. Sleep is actually so complex that, like crying, scientists still don’t fully understand it. Sure, they are researching it and learning more about it all the time, but there are still HUGE gaps in our collective understanding about this phenomenon, and why human beings need it to stay alive.
Fortunately, all the years of study that have already gone into it have taught us a few very important things. This includes the four stages of sleep, which includes 3 x NREM stages and 1 x REM stage. These abbreviations stand for non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and rapid eye movement (REM).
So, straight off the bat, you can tell that there is something important about the way your eyes move when you sleep. Let’s break it down some more by taking a closer look at the four stages of sleep:
Stage 1/N1
During this stage, you are technically awake, but already in bed. So this includes the time before you fall asleep, as well as brief awake periods throughout the night.
Stage 2/N2
This is the light sleep stage that guides you into deeper stages. During this time your muscles relax and could jerk. Your respiration slows, heart rate decreases and body temperature drops. This is technically where 'sleep' begins, but you are still only partway 'in' and can wake up easily.
Stage 3/N3
This stage is also often referred to as 'slow-wave sleep' (SWS), 'Delta sleep' or simply 'deep sleep'. It is focused on restoring your body. Your blood pressure drops, and your body prepares to set itself to rights by increasing blood flow to the muscles, releasing growth hormone and facilitating tissue- and cellular repair.
During this time, waking up is quite difficult and you are likely to be groggy and disoriented if it happens.
Stage 4/REM
During REM sleep, your body re-energises your mind. Your respiration and heart rate increase and your temperature regulation is switched off. Vivid dreams are common and your body becomes immobile so you don't injure yourself by acting it out. Getting enough of this type of sleep is important for memory, learning and problem-solving.
Now you know! Check back soon for more insider insights from the Bed King team. In the meantime, keep an eye on our Facebook page and Instagram profile to stay up to date with great deals, special offers and more!
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