With the current pace of life, increasingly busy (so many things to do!), Sleeping can seem quite unproductive, but just because you are not awake, it does not mean that things are not happening in your body.
During those 6, 7 or 8 hours of daily sleep we go through different stages of sleep in which we already know that if we wake up during the first stage we will feel that we have not slept at all. Right at this stage is when it is easiest for us to wake up . The muscles relax and slow eye movement begins.
The second stage is what Philip Gehrman, assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania (USA), says is the “average sleep”, where we spend half the night . In this stage, brain waves are slow – with some rapid variations – and both our heart rate and blood pressure become slower and more irregular. This means that, for much of the night, the heart and vascular system are getting much-needed rest, which could help explain the many cardiovascular benefits of sleep.
Thus, in short, in this second stage: our breathing and heartbeat become regular, the body temperature drops, we lose the feeling of where we are, brain waves slow down and the movement of the eyes cease. A little later, the blood pressure drops and the muscles relax even more.
The third stage is our deepest sleep , and it is when our brain waves transform into slow, high amplitude, restorative waves. Virtually most of our bodily functions slow down during this time and our bodies begin to repair themselves. Power is restored.
It is also the phase in which people sleepwalk, talk, or eat.
REM sleep is where we experience vivid dreams. Some experts often call it a “paradoxical dream” because the body is knocked out while the brain lights up as if we were awake. And, yes, during this time we also experience rapid eye movement (which gives this stage its name, rapid eye movement, REM). Muscles are paralyzed, and breathing and heart rate can vary greatly.
In this stage the release of hormones occurs. Thus, for example, according to the Hormonal Health Network, as we fall asleep – although experts are not yet sure exactly when – the digestive system causes hormones called leptin (which inhibits hunger) and ghrelin (which stimulates hunger) are balanced. In the event that we do not get enough sleep, this balance can be disturbed, which would explain why people with insomnia have their appetite affected.
Finally, at this stage our brain also blocks memories and archives the information it absorbed the day before.
Although it is not always possible to sleep at the 7 to 10 hours a night recommended by some experts, at least now we can appreciate what happens when we do.
