Sleep
Sleep plays a critical role in relaxing the body so that a person can wake up feeling fresh and energized to tackle the day’s work ahead. This presentation creates a general understanding of the entire sleep process- from the time one retires to bed to the time he or she wakes up in the morning. Also, the disorders that can occur during the sleep will be analyzed in detail.
Sleep can be defined as a natural recurrent state of humans and animals that is mainly characterized by diminished interactions with the surroundings. Sleep patterns usually occur in two categories. These are shallow sleep (non-rapid eye movement) and deep sleep (rapid eye movement)( Culebras, 2000)
How a Sleep Process is organized.
When a person is asleep, there are two sleep patterns that periodically change shifts. To this date, scientists have not been able to explain why this alternation occurs. However, it is widely accepted that without the periodic change in sleep patterns, there will be sleep disorders. Naturally, healthy humans should first have a shallow sleep comprising of four stages before eventually falling into deep sleep. Ultimately, the cycle has to repeat itself throughout the sleep time. Light sleep takes \much of the sleep time as compared to deep sleep.
Initially, the shallow and deep sleep rhythms usually last for up to 1 hour 30 minutes. Later, these rhythmic cycles of sleep get longer and longer, and can even peak at two hours. In adult beings, deep sleep period increases as the night time progresses and usually lasts for a longer time for each sleep pattern.
The Four Stages of Light (Shallow) Sleep.
Transitional Stage 1
This is a stage of sleep patterns that ensures that there is a proper transition from one category of sleep to the other. All healthy adults should begin their sleep patterns from this stage. It is approximated that this stage of shallow sleep tends to last for up to seven minutes in phase one of a sleep cycle. Considering this, an individual at this stage can easily be woken up by the background noises at the bedroom. Additionally, the brain activity at this stage indicates signs of the transition from a state of being awake to being asleep, as there is a gradual reduction in the level of brain activity.
Stage 2
This is a second stage of the light sleep category and is approximated to last for up to just less than half an hour. However, it has been observed that during subsequent sleep cycles, the stage time is remarkably extended, leading to the stage taking up to half of the entire period of sleep. As the brain activity further slows, a person at this stage can only be woken up by heightened levels of interruption.
Stages 3 and 4 (Slow Wave Sleep Stage)
These subsequent stages of sleep occur deep in the night. The distinction between the two stages is that stage three lasts for just a few minutes and the brain activity is very low. On the other hand, stage four is characterized by lengthy periods of time which can last up to more than half an hour at a time. Additionally, stage four is further characterized by a higher arousal threshold.
Deep Sleep Period.
This category of sleep occurs after light sleep stages. It is mainly characterized by random brain activities, muscle weaknesses and rapid movements of the eye. Initially, this stage of sleep usually lasts approximately between one and five minutes, though this tends to prolong during the subsequent recurring sleep patterns. Additionally, this is a stage of sleep where dreams usually occur. The observed body muscle weaknesses at this stage play a significant role in ensuring that sleeping individuals do not engage physically in the activities occurring in their dreams and nightmares. As a result of the levels of arousal and brain activity that characterize this stage, it has been observed that four-fifths of dreams occurring at this stage can comfortably be recalled by individuals. Therefore, the stage serves to consolidate memories for easier recall.(Randerath et.al, 2006).
Bodily Changes Occurring During Sleep
During light sleep, the nervous systems perform activities related to both active state of the body and also the inactive state. Additionally, the heartbeat rate and blood pressure levels significantly reduce during the light sleep stage.
During deep sleep stage, there is a possibility that the heart beats become irregular. This usually can result in blood unevenly being pumped to different parts of the body. As the sleep period progresses deep into the night, irregularities in the normal breathing patterns are likely to be observed. Generally, blood and oxygen circulation in the body are drastically minimized when an individual is in a deep sleep. Besides, there is observed difficulty in the passage of air through the nose as the muscles in this area are in a relaxed state. During deep sleep, the ability to control body temperature is lost. Scientists have linked this to the hormonal changes that usually occur during sleep. Remarkably, sleep highly influences human sexuality. Both genders undergo phases of sexual excitements during deep sleep
Sleep Regulation Mechanisms
There are three mechanisms that ensure smoothness in switching from one stage to the other. These are the balance of involuntary activities by the nervous system, circadian rhythms entailing physical and mental and behavioral changes leading to sleep and waking up; and finally a state of equilibrium in the body thus ensuring sound sleep. The three processes effectively restore the sound sleep especially after an imminent disruption. This enables individuals to quickly adapt to the suddenly possible changes that can occur as one sleeps.
Sleep Disorders.
There are two major categories of sleep disorders. One category involves sleep disorders that occur due to the inadequacy in quality and quantity of sleep and the irregularity in sleep time. The second category of sleep disorders consists of events occurring during sleep time. These events, however, does not really affect the sleeping order. Instead, any interruption to the alternating sleeping pattern subsequently leads to an imbalance in two major mechanisms of sleep regulation that ensures bodily harmony and proper functioning while asleep.
One of the most common sleep disorders entails an interruption of breathing during sleep. Another disorder makes an individual to fall asleep during the times he/she wants to stay awake. Additionally, these disorder symptoms are closely related to the events experienced during deep sleep. Insomnia is another disorder that is characterized by difficulty in maintaining sleep as well as initiating it. The observed effects of this disorder poor performance of daytime activities and inadequacy in a level of alertness.
Another disorder leads to unorthodox behaviors at night which are non-voluntary in nature. The symptoms include bedwetting, sleep walking and experiences of night terrors. This category of disorders is usually common in children though they will eventually outgrow them. Ultimately, the restless leg syndrome is a disorder that is characterized by the discomfort of legs that can include tingling cramping and inevitable pain.
Conclusion
Sleep ensures that individuals are refreshed and rejuvenated so as to tackle all the day’s activities ahead of them. Without adequate sleep, individuals tend to get fatigued, with low levels of alertness and also poor general health of body mind and soul.
References
Culebras, A. (2000). Sleep disorders and neurological disease. New York M. Dekker
Randerath, W. J., Sanner, B. M. , & Somers, V. K.
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