SLEEP THEORY:
UNDERSTANDING SLEEP STAGES
There are two types of sleep: non rapid eye movement sleep (NREM) and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep.
You will cycle through all the stages of sleep (one cycle lasts approximately 90-120mins) 4-5 times throughout the night. You may be familiar with how your sleep cycle looks if you wear a smart watch.
Larger periods of NREM sleep occur early in the night, whereas larger periods of REM sleep occur closer to morning. REM Sleep is when you dream- you may have noticed you dream most in the early morning hours!
Your sleep cycle has four stages that it will repeat through; three NREM stages and one REM stage. We've put together a guide to help you better understand this:
The length of time it takes you to actually fall asleep (before you enter these 4 stages) is defined as SLEEP LATENCY. On average, sleep latency for a normal adult is between 10-20 minutes, if it takes you anything longer than this it suggests sleep related issues. If you think it takes you longer read our SLEEP TIPS for improving your sleep environment.
TIMING OF SLEEP (CIRCADIAN RHYTHM)
Your Circadian Rhythm or otherwise known as your 'Biological clock'. This clock controls when you feel sleepy and is also what wakes you up in the morning before your alarm.
We're all familiar with the terms 'NIGHT OWL' or 'EARLY BIRD'- these actually refer to how everyone is born with a natural 'body clock'; Some people may thrive and feel at their best working out in the morning, and for others they are more focused/motivated later at night. Every person is different! But it is important to realise it can be disrupted or influenced by work/ commitments/your lifestyle.
Your Circadian Rhythm controls functions such as the release of melatonin (which helps you fall asleep at night) and cortisol (which helps you wake up in the morning).
For example people who are Early Birds may have a naturally early release of cortisol in the morning! Compared to Night Owls who likely have a release of melatonin later at night.
REGULARITY can help influence your biological clock- aim to go to bed and get up at the same time everyday! This helps the body predict when it is time to go to sleep and when to be awake, improving sleep quality and alertness during waking hours!