The phases of sleep: how we rest
Every day we go to bed thinking about getting a good night’s rest. In spite of this, when we sleep we do not always rest in the same way. From the moment we go to bed, there are times when our rest is greater and others when it is less. Our sleep goes through a process every night, structured in different periods through which we recover energy for the following day.
This cycle is made up of different phases, in which our body and mind act differently in each of them. In this blog we want to bring you this information so that you are aware of how important it is to rest properly.
At Don Colchón we are aware that getting a good night’s sleep is key to live the day with energy. That is why in our stores in Denia, Javea and Calpe you will find sleep professionals who will be happy to advise you to get you to sleep like a dormouse.
What are the phases of sleep?
Phase 1. Numbness . Este periodo comienza cuando nos acostamos y suele durar entorno a 10 minutos. En esta fase se comienza a perder la conciencia del entorno, el cuerpo se empieza a quedar dormido. A pesar de esto, nuestra actividad cerebral sigue tan alta como cuando estamos despiertos, por lo que no se está descansando. A lo largo de esta fase es muy fácil que nos despierten ruidos de nuestro alrededor, aunque no sean muy intensos. Fase 2. Sueño ligero. Este es el periodo que más se extiende en el tiempo. En él, nuestra respiración cada vez se va haciendo más lenta y el sueño se vuelve más profundo. El cuerpo empieza a descansa y es más difícil despertarse por estímulos externos. Aunque, en algunas ocasiones, podemos tener la sensación de soñar que nos caemos, provocando que nos despertemos bruscamente.
Phase 3. Transition to deep sleep. This is the shortest stage in relation to total sleep, lasting only about 2 to 3 minutes. During this phase, our mind prepares to enter deep sleep. For this reason, if we wake up during this period we are likely to feel confused and disoriented.
Phase 4. Deep sleep. It is during this period that both our body and mind really rest. Thus, this phase will be decisive in the quality of our rest. At this time, we will be in deep relaxation, and the more intense it is, the better our rest will be. Throughout this stage of sleep, it is very difficult to be awakened by stimuli and sounds from outside.
Phase 5. REM sleep. This phase, known as “Rapid Eye Moment”, owes its name to the fact that during this period our eyes move rapidly. This movement is mostly due to the fact that during this period we have dreams. Sometimes they can be so profound that our body experiences them as if they were reality.
As you have seen, in each sleep phase our body and mind rest differently. The important thing is that we can enjoy the right bed to have the best quality of rest. At Don Colchón we advise you and help you throughout the buying process, ask us or come to meet us!