Guide
| Introduction |
The very word “sleep” makes one feel relaxed cozy and comfortable. But how many of us are aware of the mysterious importance of sleep? A regular, adequate and restful sleep is as important for your physical well-being as getting enough food and exercise.
Until just a few years ago, sleep was perhaps the most misunderstood function of the human body. In earlier times, sleep was considered a passive phenomenon during which major elements of the brain rested. After years of subsequent research, sleep experts found that lot more things happen during sleep than people are aware of. The sleeping brain is more active at various times of the night than it ever is during the day. “Sleeplessness” at first glance may not seem like a serious health problem, but not getting enough sleep can affect every aspect of our lives. If you have trouble getting to sleep or sleeping through the night, if you wake up too early or if you feel very tired during the day, you may be having some sleep problems. When sleep is poor, people may experience fatigue, a loss of energy and/or a loss interest. People may have problems with memory and feel ill , sleepy, or less than perfect. Poor sleep can cause loss of work time and may make medical and mental conditions worse. It is therefore important to take sleep seriously and to carefully sort out the causes of sleep disorders. States and Stages of Sleep Although one third of our lives is spent in "sleeping" yet many of us are not aware that there are two kinds of sleep:
During REM sleep, although the eyes are closed, the eyeballs are engaged in rapid movement. Scientists have identified certain neurons in the human brain that directly affect REM sleep. About 80-90 percent of the time people awakened during or immediately after REM sleep, report that they were dreaming. REM sleep is also termed as ‘dream sleep’. The NREM sleep has four stages of depth Stage 1 (light sleep) occurs in between wakefulness and light sleep. In this stage the body readies itself for sleep. This stages lasts between 10 and 15 minutes. Stage 2 (so-called true sleep). We are in this stage for 50% of the time each night. In this stage blood pressure falls and heart rate decreases. Stage 3 and 4 are collectively known as deep sleep and are characterized by slow brain activity. In this stage the mind and body repairs itself. These stages are very important for maintaining a persons health. REM sleep first occurs about 90 minutes after falling asleep and then about 3-5 times each night. The first cycle lasts for 15-20 minutes and the last cycle for 30 to 60 minutes. During REM sleep muscle tone is greatly reduced, but brain waves show the same active frequency as when person is awake. This is the dreaming phase of sleep, necessary for long-term emotional well-being. REM sleep may play a role in increasing memory and the learning process. We welcome you to this site which brings you information on “sleep” and “sleep disorders” It has books and articles which you can download and read at leisure. It has links to other sites on the 'web' in case you need to know still more about “sleep”. What's more, it also provides the facility for people to network with others and share views and experiences. A word of caution, please do not attempt any self-diagnosis and/or self-medication for sleep disorders. The earlier the professional help is sought, the faster will be the recovery. |
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