FERNWOOD FITNESS - PULSE eMagazine - Issue#7 - Flipbook - Page 43
The Architecture
of Sleep
Sleep isn’t a uniform block of
琀椀me where the body shuts
o昀昀 and then restarts. It’s
more akin to a symphony,
with di昀昀erent phases playing
dis琀椀nct roles. According to
the latest research, sleep is
divided into two main types:
Rapid Eye Movement (REM)
and Non-REM (NREM) sleep.
NREM is further segmented
into three stages, each
deeper than the last.
NREM Stage 1: This is the
lightest stage of sleep, a
gentle nudge into the world
of slumber. It’s that 昀氀oaty
feeling where you’re not
quite awake but not fully
asleep either.
NREM Stage 2: Here, your
body goes into a more
subdued state, with a drop
in temperature, slowed
breathing, and reduced
heart rate. It’s the staging
area for the deep restora琀椀ve
work to come.
NREM Stage 3: O昀琀en
referred to as deep sleep,
this stage is the heavy li昀琀er
of bodily repair, muscle
growth, and immune system
bolstering. It’s also when
the brain waves slow down
drama琀椀cally, making it a bit
of a challenge to wake you
from sleep.
REM Sleep: This phase
is the realm of dreams.
It’s characterised by
rapid eye movements,
increased brain ac琀椀vity, and
temporary muscle paralysis
(presumably so you don’t
act out your dreams).
REM sleep is essen琀椀al
for processing emo琀椀ons,
consolida琀椀ng memories,
and learning.
The Sleep Cycle
Throughout the night, we
cycle through these stages
mul琀椀ple 琀椀mes, with each
cycle las琀椀ng about 90 to
110 minutes. The structure
of these cycles changes as
the night progresses, with
more deep sleep occurring
in the 昀椀rst half and more
REM sleep in the second
half. This orchestra琀椀on is
controlled by two main
systems: the circadian
rhythm and the sleep-wake
homeostasis.
Circadian Rhythm: O昀琀en
referred to as the body
clock, it regulates the
琀椀ming of sleepiness and
wakefulness throughout the
day, in昀氀uenced by external
cues like light and darkness.
Sleep-Wake Homeostasis:
This tells your body it needs
sleep, based on how long
you’ve been awake and
how much sleep you’ve had
in recent days. It’s like an
internal hourglass, 昀椀lling up
with the need for sleep.