The Science Behind Sleep : The Physics Of Sleep Essay

Then you will move into stage two which includes sleep spindles and K complexes. Sleep spindles are very short bursts of brain activity, and K complexes are single high voltage strikes of brain activity. Also, in stage two delta brain waves start to slow function of the brain preparing for stage three and four. Stage three and stage four i will talk about as one because they are very similar and do similar things. These stages are referred to slow wave sleep because your brain is in it’s slowest speed of function. In stage three you brain is between 20 and 50 percent delta waves, from 50 to 100 percent delta waves you are considered to be in stage four. While in stage four people may experience sleep walking and other muscular movement without knowing so. Noises as loud as 90 decibels may not be able to wake the person from sleep. During REM sleep which is after NREM sleep the brain is more active and alert. This is where most dreams occur because your brain is active but you are still sleeping. After the short 15 minute period of REM sleep you will start over with stage one of NREM these cycles normally take 90 minutes to complete. Activity during sleep can come at any point but is most common in REM or stage four of

I’ve been thinking about sleep ever since reading Maria Konnikova’s fascinating, three-part series for The New Yorker on sleep. And then my wife, Crystal, read the series, which got us both thinking about it, and talking about it, and experimenting with it.

These stages are characterized by bursts of electrical activity on electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings. EEG readings monitor electrical activity representing neuronal activity in specific neurophysiological regions. Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep is characterized by desynchronized, saw-toothed theta rhythm waves and heightened cognitive activity. Comparatively, high amplitude, synchronous delta waves, and sharp hippocampal waves characterize slow wave sleep (SWS) sleep (stages 3-4 of non-REM sleep) (Tucker et al. 2006).

While awake, beta waves are active in the brain. The first stage is known as REM. This is where rapid eye movement occurs. As well, dreams typically occur here. As you begin to fall asleep these beta waves become less prevalent and theta waves start to develop. This occurs in the early stages of sleep. Furthermore, this stage is known as N1 which is a light sleep that usually occurs for about five minutes. During this time body temperature drops and shallow, irregular breathing occurs. The next stage is known as N2. An EEG would show sleep spindles at this point. As time goes on the brain will begin to produce delta waves. These waves are long and slow. They occur in the deepest stages of sleep known as N3. This stage is also responsible for growth hormones being released in the pituitary gland. After N3 the body will begin to wake up on its own. The body will return to it's REM stage where body temperature increases and eyes have movement.

During the first hour of sleep, brain waves slow down, and the eyes and muscles relax. Heart rate, temperate, and blood pressure fall as well. Over time, however, brain activity drastically increases from slow wave sleep to rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, and brain waves observed during REM are similar to those observed during waking. However, atonia occurs, which is when the body’s muscles are paralyzed, the muscles that allow breathing and control eye movements are fully active, and heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature increase. As sleep continues, the brain alternates between periods of slow wave sleep. It’s divided into four stages. Stage 1, the brain activity is unsynchronized. Stage 2, our breathing, heartbeat, and brain activity become slower. Stage 3, our breathing, pulse, and brain activity is slower yet, and brain activity is synchronized. Stage 4 of sleep, our breathing, pulse, and brain activity is the slowest, and brain activity is highly synchronized. Brain activity is increased with each stage and brief periods of REM sleep, with the slow wave sleep becoming less deep and the REM periods more prolonged until you are woken. Approximately 20 percent of a person’s total sleep is spent in REM

There are distinctive stages of sleep REM sleep and non-REM sleep and about every ninety minutes we cycle through four recognizable sleep stages (Myers D 2014). Non-REM sleep consists for 3 different stages and during each stage it contains its own purpose. Stage one occurs for about 10 minutes and is when a person is lightly sleeping and can be woken up very easily (Mastin 2013). Muscles are still active and movement occurs more frequently such as twitches and the eyes roll around at a slow pace and breathing and heart rates slow down (Mastin 2013). Stage two happens between 45-50 percent of the night at different intervals (Mastin 2013). Muscle activity decreases and it is harder to wake up during this stage; if sounds are heard they are no longer able to make sense of them (Mastin 2013). The last stage: stage three which is also called delta

Stage 1 is a type of sleep where you drift in and out of your sleep. You can be easily awake. The eye moves slow and muscle activity is slow during this stage. During these stages many can experience sudden muscle contractions proceeding by sensation of falling. Stage 2 eye movement stops in your brain wave become slower with only an occasional burst for rapid waves. Stage 3

This paper explores five different sources on the changes in sleep over the adults' lifespan. There are multiple explanations as to the changes in sleep from infancy to the older adult, and through a series of conducted experiments a further explanation is given. Judd (2010) explores pediatric sleep issues that impact children from infancy to teen years. Following Judd's claims, Wrzus, Wagner, and Riediger (2014) correlate night-to-night sleep variations and the affective well-being among adolescents and adults. Wilckens, Woo, Kirk, Erickson, and Wheeler (2014) study the importance of sleep in young adults through multiple cognitive tasks. Millman (2012) points out that at a later age, sleep becomes fragmented due to drop in slow wave sleep. To sum it up, English (n.d.) summarizes the sleep changes throughout life. Therefore, this research focuses on the different changes within the adults' sleep stages.

One of the most fascinating natural occurrences known to science is something everyone's body requires them to do, this strange phenomenon is sleep. Sleep is not fully understood by anyone, there are too many variables and unanswered questions to discover what sleep is for and why the human body stresses sleeping so much. Dreams are just as undiscovered as sleep. There are many observations made about dreams and what parts of the brain are utilized during these inter-sleep hallucinations. But like sleep, there is no official reason or meaning behind it. Sleep and dreams, although strange and without apparent purpose, reveal many things about an individual, his or her habits, and potentially innermost subconscious thoughts.

The brain generates rhythmic wave activity that is referred to as sleep spindles. Sleep spindles are bursts of rapid brain wave activity. During this stage the heart rate slows down and body temperature starts to decrease.

Sleep is undoubtedly one of the most essential requirements for the human body to function properly. It plays a very important role in ensuring the wellness of the human body both physically as well as mentally. In fact, the importance of sleep is clear from the fact that it helps you in maintaining a good lifestyle throughout our entire lifetime. Not only does it help maintain our physical and mental health; rather it also helps in maintaining a decent and healthy lifestyle along with ensuring safety from a number of fatal diseases. It is usually said that the mood in which you wake up is largely dependent on the type of sleep you have been in. This in itself is a big proof of the importance of sleep in our lives. While sleeping, our body finally gets its share of rest and it also gets ample time in rejuvenating from all the wear and tear that it went through during the entire day. Not only this, the body is in its own working condition when we are sleeping as this is the time when it supports the healthy functioning of the brain as well as physical attributes of our body.

As soon as we enter into stage 2 sleep, the eye movements we had during stage 1 terminate. Brain waves slow down with occasional burts of rapid waves called sleep spindles.

 There are five stages of sleep, REM and NREM stages 1, 2, 3, & 4.

Science has shown that sleep is not only a treat, it is a necessity. Sleep plays a crucial role in the development and restoration of the human brain. Modern developments, such as the clock and the system of wage labor, have threatened this crucial human resource.

On average, humans spend at least one-third of their lives asleep, adding up to around 26 years for a typical lifespan(“stud”). Although scientists have yet to find a reason behind the necessity for humans to sleep, it is an essential part of all human lives. However, scientists have been doing extensive testing for years, and have resulted in many credible hypothesis on why humans must sleep. Contrary to what would be expected considering sleep consumes a great deal of human life, sleep problems are one of the most common complaints that doctors hear from their patients (“stud”). Not attaining enough sleep repeatedly can cause major effects on a person, and even result in death when extreme.