Sleeping well » Delta waves http://www.betterrestbetterliving.com/sleeping-well Sat, 17 Sep 2011 02:32:03 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 What is sleep? http://www.betterrestbetterliving.com/sleeping-well/what-is-sleep/ http://www.betterrestbetterliving.com/sleeping-well/what-is-sleep/#comments Sat, 11 Jul 2009 02:50:37 +0000 admin http://www.betterrestbetterliving.com/sleeping-well/?p=24 Over 32 percent of Americans have discussed sleeping problems with their doctors according to NSF (National Sleep Foundation).  Sleep, or lack of it, is an important health topic ranking right up there with eating right and exercising. So why do people neglect it or ignore it? 

Like all living things, rest, especially sleep, is vital to the survival of mankind.  Sleep like food, air and water is essential to living.

 What is sleep?

Sleep is a restful state where one doesn’t react to stimulus. With humans sleep is broken down into 5 categories:

The beginning of sleep is a transition between being awake and sleep. Slow brain waves are produced at this stage of sleep. This stage lasts about 10 minutes.

Rapid brain waves known as sleep spindles are produced in the second stage of sleep. the heart rate slows and the body temperature falls in this stage that takes about 20 minutes.

Stage three is a transitional period between light and deep sleep. slow brain waves known as Delta waves are produced in this stage.

Delta waves continue in stage four which lasts about 30 minutes.

The deepest sleep is in stage five which is referred to as REM (Rapid Eye Movement). The irony of this stage of sleep is that the brain is active during this stage of sleep. Dreams occur during REM.

It is important to note that the stages of sleep do always go in order. The complete sleep cycle can be repeated 4 or 5 times a night.

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