Sleep is a normal, recurring state of body and mind, typically characterized by decreased sleep latency, reduced sleep quality, reduced daytime sleepiness, increased arousal, enhanced mood and improved cognitive function, as well as decreased daytime sleepiness. It is the state of the brain and the physical body that permits the restoration of cellular energy after it is used up during the day. The human brain generates most of its new memory during the night and is particularly active at night, according to recent studies. In fact, the human brain can actually repair itself and “rest” during the night, according to recent research. While most of us spend our time sleeping, we rarely think about sleep or rest.
Many people who do not get enough sleep experience tiredness and lethargy, as well as problems with attention, concentration, memory, and mood. People who are frequently awakened through sleep cycles or who work jobs that require shifting mental focus and alertness may find themselves having difficulties with concentration, mood, and memory during the day. In the same way that the muscles in our body become fatigued after periods of inactivity, the same is true for our brains.
The reason why some people do not feel sleepy during the day is because their brains do not send out enough natural hormones to wake them up. Some experts believe that poor sleep may also be caused by the lack of certain hormones such as melatonin, which helps control the body’s internal clock. Other researchers believe that some people have a defect in the timing system of the immune system, which can lead to insufficient sleep.
In order to better understand the connection between sleep and the different stages of sleep, it may help to understand how the sleep cycle works. Each of the four stages of sleep occurs for a brief amount of time and is different from one another. Experts believe that it takes about three minutes for the body to fall asleep.
Once the body goes into sleep, it stays asleep until the onset of the next phase of sleep, which is the REM (Rapid Eye Movement) stage. There, the eyes move rapidly, muscles relax, breathing slows down, and the brain processes information. Experts believe that these processes take about ten seconds. Based on this research, experts suggest that it takes about seven seconds for the body to fall asleep, during which time it can change its internal temperature through the so called “sleep homeostasis.” This process of relaxing the muscles and the internal temperature of the body while remaining asleep could account for why people do not always feel sleepy during the day.
A person with a sleep disorder, however, does not go through the entire process of falling asleep. It is not uncommon for those with sleep apnea to stay awake for several hours after they have slept just six or seven hours. Indeed, the lack of oxygen in the brain while remaining awake during the day is often blamed for the ongoing feelings of fatigue, and the inability to concentrate despite a good night’s sleep. If you are suffering from a sleep disorder, you need sleep.