Genetics, lifestyle, and undiagnosed health conditions may play a role in how light you sleep. Additionally, some research suggests that differences in brain wave activity during sleep may affect this.
But one thing is certain: The amount and quality of sleep you get is important for your health.
Each of us must alternate between light sleep and deep sleep throughout the night. These REM and NREM sleep cycles are known to repeat every 90 minutes. NREM sleep (slow eye movement sleep) consists of three stages. The first is the stage between wakefulness and sleep. It is considered superficial sleep. Deeper sleep begins in the second stage, when breathing and heart rate slow and body temperature drops. The third stage of slow wave sleep is slow wave sleep. During this time, breathing slows down, muscles relax, and tissue growth and repair occur.
Then comes REM sleep. During this phase, the eyes move rapidly from side to side. Additionally, a person’s brain activity, heart rate, and blood pressure are similar to the awake state. During this stage of sleep, most dreams occur and important stages of memory consolidation occur.
In general, science shows that as people get older, they spend less time in slow-wave and REM sleep and more time in the lighter stages of sleep.
But how much time a person spends in light or deep sleep during the night can vary greatly from person to person and from night to night. Additionally, the amount of deep sleep does not always correlate with the total amount of sleep. For example, someone who sleeps 8 hours a night may spend less time in slow-wave sleep than someone who sleeps 6 hours.
If you don’t feel rested after sleeping and you think this is because your sleep is light, there are a few things you can pay attention to. This includes drinking alcohol before bed or in large amounts and an inconsistent sleep schedule. They will help prevent you from falling into deep sleep. Obstructive sleep apnea can also contribute to shallow sleep, as you will wake up throughout the night due to difficulty breathing.
News materials cannot be equated with a doctor’s prescription. Consult an expert before making a decision.
Source: Ferra
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