The Science of Sleep
We all know how we feel when we sleep well and when we don’t sleep enough. We can feel the effects of sleep on our brains and bodies, but we may not understand why we sleep.
How Sleep Works
The specific reason why humans sleep remains one of the most lasting and intriguing mysteries in health science, despite decades of investigation. Experts examine how sleep works and what happens when we don’t get enough sleep to try to answer this question. Sleep is very complex, according to studies, and has an impact on nearly all physiological systems. The production of hormones and substances that govern sleep and wakefulness involves multiple areas of the brain.
Sleep may appear to be as simple as feeling tired, lying down, and nodding off. But the physiological state of sleep is created by a complex interplay of processes in the brain and … Read more
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Sleep is a universal physiological drive with similar processes and rhythms across the human species. Though sleep follows a recognizable pattern, there are numerous differences among healthy individuals. Though some of these differences … Read more
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We all know how we feel after a long day. Our muscles are tired, our legs heavy, our eyelids ready to close. Though sleep may seem as if it originates in the body, … Read more
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We all know how we feel when we sleep well, and when we don’t sleep enough. When we sleep, we’re happier, we have more energy, and learning comes more easily. When we don’t … Read more
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Stages of Sleep
Each cycle progresses through each stage of sleep in the following order: wake, light sleep, deep sleep, REM, and repeat. Early-night cycles have a higher amount of deep sleep, while later-night cycles have a higher proportion of REM. Your body may decide to forego deep sleep entirely at the end of the cycle.
REM sleep may be the most fascinating and well-studied phase of sleep. Non-REM refers to the minimal eye movements of the first three stages of sleep, while REM refers to the rapid eye … Read more
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If you woke up this morning feeling refreshed and energized, chances are you had plenty of N3 sleep. N3 is the third stage of sleep, and the deepest and most restorative of all … Read more
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If you’ve learned something new recently, chances are your newfound knowledge was committed to memory during the N2 stage of sleep. Memories are formed and learning takes place during N2, the second stage of … Read more
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To some of us, the first few minutes we spend falling asleep don’t really feel like sleep. Our minds may feel active and we may have brief, non-sensical thoughts that aren’t quite like … Read more
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Dreams
Our minds produce stories and visuals in our dreams while we sleep. They can be amusing, amusing, romantic, distressing, frightening, and odd at times.
In the final scene of the 1970s classic, Carrie, Sue, the sole survivor of the bloody, fiery prom, approaches Carrie’s final resting place. As she kneels to place flowers on the grave, Carrie’s … Read more
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Your heart is pounding, and sweat is dripping down your face as you run up a hill that suddenly turns into an escalator — moving in reverse. In the next instance, you’re catapulted … Read more
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Both nightmares and night terrors are distressing sleep events, but they actually describe separate phenomena. And that means they both have their own unique characteristics. We spoke with a pair of certified sleep … Read more
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If you’ve ever found yourself startled awake in the middle of the night, heart pounding and soaked in sweat, you know what it’s like to have a nightmare. These vivid, often terrifying dreams … Read more
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Sleepopolis Team
The Sleepopolis team is all about helping you sleep better. We live, eat, breathe, and sleep (ha!) all things, well, sleep! Whether you need a new mattress, are having trouble sleeping, or are just tired of counting sheep, we've got you covered. Check back here often for the latest and greatest in mattress reviews, sleep news, or health tips, and in the meantime, sleep well.
