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Over the past 6 months I have reduced my sleep by 3 hours. At the same time, my sleep has become deeper, better quality, and I myself feel cheerful and full of energy during the day. I’ll tell you what I had to go through to learn how to get enough sleep in fewer hours.

Like most people, I am constantly short of time. Or rather, I'm wasting it

I have to get up early, go to bed late, the first half of the day is spent on “building up”, and in the second I try to get everything done. As a result, the body does not get enough sleep, the head is buzzing, and in the evenings there is no energy or time to do anything else.

So I decided to try to improve my sleep patterns. And at the same time, check how much minimum time you need to get enough sleep and feel full of energy.

But in order to improve your sleep pattern, it is important to understand how it works. It's simple

Our sleep includes 4 phases: drowsiness, half-asleep, deep sleep and shallow (rapid) sleep.

Without going into details, each phase has its own important processes. But most of all, whether we get enough sleep or not is influenced by the 3rd phase, in which “ Maintenance» organism. Toxins are removed, resources are restored and organ function is checked.

That is, the longer the deep sleep phase and the deeper it is, the better we sleep and recover.

2 things are important for good sleep

1. Low temperature. The higher the temperature (within reasonable limits) - the higher your activity. Therefore, during the day the temperature must be high for the body to function well. And at night - low, so that the brain quickly falls into the deep sleep phase and stays in it longer.
2. Melatonin is a sleep hormone. It stands out when our eyes are in dark conditions. And in bright light it is destroyed. Peak melatonin production is known to occur between 11:00 pm and 4:00 am, so it is important to sleep at this time.

Based on these rules, I created a regime for myself.

1. Get up at the same time every day

If on weekdays I have to get up at 6:00, then on weekends I have to get up at 6:00. I set the alarm for every day so that it cannot be turned off until you get up.

For what? The body must get used to getting up at the same time, and then going to bed at the same time. As a result, the brain begins to understand that there is a clear number of hours in which it needs to recover.

2. You need to wake up in REM sleep

It is easier (and better) to wake a person during REM sleep. Therefore, it is important to seize the moment. There are several ways to do this:

1. Use smart alarm apps. There are many such applications, I tried Pillow and SmartAlarm. They are quite accurate, but are not always convenient because the phone must be placed on the bed to record movement and sleep data.
2. Get up at the same time every day. If waking up at 6:20 is easier than waking up at 6:00, then you are in REM sleep at 6:20. You can just try different days set the alarm clock on different time. In addition, if you get up at the same time every day, your brain will get used to it and will understand that by 6:00 you need to go into the REM sleep phase.
3. Use a bracelet with a smart alarm function. Fitness bracelets are cheap, accurate and wake you up with soft vibrations.

3. Sleep is disturbed by 3 things: humidity, temperature and light

OftenThe humidity in the apartment does not exceed 25% (this is low). Little humidity - processes slow down, sleep worsens. Optimal level humidity - 45%, or better 70%.

• I bought the simplest air humidifier that shows the humidity level and maintains the required value.

The optimal temperature for sleep is 16–20 °C. It's quite cool outside, so I just leave the window open at night. But in the future you will have to buy a miniature air conditioner.

Less light means melatonin is produced faster. This means we’ll fall asleep faster and go into deep sleep. Even a streetlight outside the window or a store sign can disrupt your sleep cycle, so it's important to draw your curtains tightly.

• I bought blackout curtains, which are made of thick material, block out light and make the room dark, like a cave. Sometimes I also wear a sleep mask.

3. Exercise in the morning and physical activity during the day

Exercise seriously increases body temperature, and therefore performance.

Any physical exercise in the morning they seem simply unreal. For a while I had to overcome myself, but then my body got used to it and I got into it. Moreover, exercises that will make you sweat (abs, pull-ups, push-ups) are important here. All this in quick mode, about 10–15 minutes.

You also need to do some physical exercise during the day. I've found that exercising less than 3 hours before bed makes it worse, so it's best to exercise during the day to raise your temperature and get your blood flowing.

4. You will have to give up some foods.

I hung a piece of paper and noted on it every day I lived without coffee.

To sleep soundly, you should also not drink alcohol, nicotine, energy drinks, or eat a lot of heavy, fatty foods. Even a simple bun eaten before bed disrupts the deep sleep phase. And if you rely heavily on energy drinks, you can completely break the regime.

5. A few more little tricks

1. To drink a lot of water. It's corny, but I often forgot about it. The body uses water during sleep, so it is important to have enough of it.
2. Shower before bed. You need to make the water about 23 °C. The body cools down during sleep, and here we will do it in advance. If the water is too cold, there will be a surge of adrenaline, and we don’t need that before bed.
3. Lots of light. To wake up quickly, you need more bright light, preferably sunlight. Therefore, as soon as I get up, I open the curtains or go out onto the balcony. In the light, melatonin is destroyed and you don’t want to sleep at all.
4. Pillow. I didn't pay attention to this before special attention, but a good orthopedic pillow greatly improves the quality of sleep. Good for the neck, back and blood flow. Ask a specialist to find the right orthopedic pillow for you.

What were the results

By violating or observing each of these points, I observed a change in sleep phases and noted my well-being and performance the next day.

I compared my sleep indicators before and after: the number of deep sleep phases increased by 2 times (from 1:43 to 4:02). Their frequency has also increased.

As a result, I achieved my goal and reduced my sleep time from 8–9 to 5–6 hours. At the same time, I get less tired, feel good and think quickly throughout the day.

Something important if you decide to repeat

I am not a doctor. Therefore, if you decide to take your sleep seriously, change the number of hours you sleep and your daily routine, then you should consult a doctor before you start.

He will tell you whether it is safe for you specifically, and perhaps suggest the best way to solve the problem.

Many people have heard that sleep consists of sequentially replacing each other. phases and stages. Some people know that in some phases it is easier to wake up, in others it is harder, so ideally, awakening should be adjusted to certain stages of sleep. Someone will say that dreams occur only in one phase (small spoiler - in fact this is not so, see below). In this article, we propose to delve deeper into these and other issues related to different periods of sleep, and consider, what phases stand out, what is their characteristic And duration, how many phases are needed in order to get enough sleep, and how to independently calculate sleep phases. In addition, in the last part of the text we will look at how some so-called rational sleep patterns are assessed in terms of phases and stages.

Phases of human sleep: preface

Dreams seem like such an ordinary thing, and yet it is one of those areas that still holds many mysteries. In particular, so far there is no consensus among scientists even regarding whether we see But stages and phases of human sleep can be considered fully studied, including because they are easier to study using various instruments. The main sources are colored dreams or black and white. data for scientists - brain activity in general and its lobes in particular (shown on the electroencephalogram - EEG), movements eyeballs and muscles of the back of the head. These and a number of other indicators make it possible to draw a more or less clear picture of sleep phase cycles.

In general, we propose not to delve into the terms and methods of somnology (the science of sleep), but to consider the phases of sleep on a more practical level: understand how many phases are distinguished, analyze their main features and what distinguishes the phases from each other. This knowledge will help answer questions about which phase is easier to wake up in, how long it should last healthy sleep etc. But first let's do a few remarks:

• phases and stages are discussed with examples adults(with age, the ratio and duration of the phases changes);
• For simplicity and consistency, sleep periods will be shown using examples from those who goes to bed in the evening or at the beginning of the night, and not in the morning and does not work at night;
• we only consider physiological sleep– medicinal, hypnotic, etc. are not taken into account in this material;
• we will focus on those who are lucky enough to sleep a sufficient number of hours for your body and is not forced, for example, to run to the first class after writing a coursework all night.

So what should it be normal sleep in the average healthy person under similar conditions?

In general, experts divide sleep into two phases:

• slow sleep, aka orthodox, or NREM sleep. The name NREM comes from the English Not Rapid Eye Movement and reflects the fact that this phase is not characterized by rapid eye movements.
• REM sleep, aka paradoxical, or REM sleep(i.e. rapid eye movements are present). The name “paradoxical” comes from the fact that during this phase of sleep, complete muscle relaxation and high brain activity are combined. It turns out that during this period the brain works almost the same as when awake, but it does not process information received from the senses and does not give orders to the body how to react to this information.

Slow + cycle REM sleep» lasts approximately 1.5-2 hours(more details below), and during the night these phases successively replace each other. Average 3/4 cycle falls on slow-wave sleep and, accordingly, about a quarter- to fast.

At the same time, slow sleep There are a number of stages:

1. nap– transition from wakefulness to sleep;
2. light sleep ;
3. moderately deep sleep;
4. deep dream- It is at this stage that sleep is the deepest.

Stages 3 and 4 are collectively called - delta sleep, which is associated with the presence of EEG specific delta waves

Diagram of the night cycle by phases and stages of sleep

In terms of sleep cycles, our night goes like this:

• First comes stage 1 slow-wave sleep, that is, we move from wakefulness to sleep through drowsiness.
• Next we sequentially go through stages 2, 3 and 4. Then we move to reverse order– from delta sleep to light sleep (4 – 3 – 2).
• After stage 2 comes phase REM sleep. Due to the fact that it is the last to be activated in the cycle - after all other stages have passed - it is sometimes called phase 5 or stage 5, which, strictly speaking, is not entirely accurate, because REM sleep is completely different compared to slow wave sleep .
• Then we go back to stage 2, and then we again plunge into delta sleep, then light, then fast, then light again... And so the change of phases and stages goes in a circle. Another option is that after REM sleep, awakening occurs.

Duration of sleep phases and stages

As we said above, for the entire sleep cycle(slow and fast sleep) on average takes about 1.5 hours to 2 hours. At the same time, the duration of phases and stages and their ratio within one cycle changes over the course of the night. Let's look at how the phases are distributed on average and how long each of them lasts.

Thus, in the first cycle, full-fledged deep sleep (stage 4) occurs approximately 40-50 minutes after sleep, and fast – In 1.5 hours. Based on the average need for sleep, we find that in a normal state a person needs to sleep 3-6 cycles per night - depending on their duration and his need for sleep. In turn, this need varies greatly: some need 4 hours, for some the norm may exceed 10 hours.

In what phase is it better to wake up and how to calculate it

As is known, It's easiest to wake up during REM sleep, In second place - lung stage. Knowing the sequence different periods, you can guess optimal time awakening. On the other hand, it must be taken into account that the duration of the phases is not the same different people In addition, the need for one or another “type” of sleep varies depending on the condition. For example, if you are tired, sick, or recovering from an illness, slow-wave sleep may take longer.

Of course, to make it easier for you to wake up, you can buy various gadgets that read characteristics phases (more details below) and wake up
you exactly at the right time. But you can find out how to wake up during REM sleep yourself - First of all, you need to experiment. For example, take 2 hours as a sleep phase, calculate what time you need to go to bed/wake up in order to withstand a whole number of cycles. For example, if you have to get up at 8 am, the multiples of the phases would be 6 am, 4 am, 2 am, midnight, etc. When calculating the time, take into account the fact that you will need a little more time to fall asleep. As we said, Stage 1 usually takes 5-15 minutes. That is, to get up at 8, you need to go to bed at 1:45 or 23:45.

Try following this schedule for a while and see if you are able to wake up during REM sleep. If not, “play” with the boundaries - make a calculation based on 1 hour 50 minutes or 1 hour 40 minutes. This way you can find exactly your duration of the night cycle and then build on it. It is best to conduct experiments when you are in a normal physical and emotional state and have had more or less normal sleep on the eve of the experiments.

We also hint that by “go to bed” we mean exactly go to bed, and not “lie in bed with a smartphone in your arms and chat in instant messengers for another hour.” Let us also note that calculating sleep phases will not give you vigor if you have been sleeping only one cycle per night for a week. Adjusting to the phases is a tool for waking up easier, but it will not free you from the need to fully sleep.

Phases of sleep and dreams

What happens to us in different stages of sleep

One of the main differences between the phases is different activities brain, which can be visually traced in the waves on the EEG, but the physiology of the sleep phases is characterized not only by this. Another distinction between fast and slow is reflected in the English names REM and NREM - the presence and absence of rapid eye movements. In general, determining the sleep phase by eye, without taking into account instruments and measuring various indicators, is quite problematic. We can only say that if a person moves his eyes, limbs, etc., most likely we're talking about about REM sleep. What can be registered on various devices? Here are some interesting facts.

Traits of slow-wave sleep

To plunge into the first stage of slow-wave sleep (drowsiness), the brain produces special substances that block its activity, cause lethargy, and also affect other body systems, including slow down metabolism. In stages 2-4, especially during delta sleep, metabolism also slows down.

To say that during slow-wave sleep, in principle, no eye movements, not entirely true - they are in stages 1 (drowsiness) and
2 (light sleep), but specifically slow; in English terminology they are called slow rolling eye movement (SREM). In turn, during delta sleep there are not even such movements, but it is in this phase that people walk or talk in their sleep, and also perform other uncontrolled actions, if this is typical for them.

Traits of REM sleep

One of the main features of REM sleep is the most vivid dreams. By the words “the most vivid” we mean that almost all the dreams that we remember after waking up are from this phase. It is believed that REM sleep, in turn, is responsible for processing information received during the day, internal work over emotions, etc. But so far scientists cannot say exactly how exactly what happens during REM sleep and what mechanisms are involved.

As we have already noted, visual REM sleep can be recognized by the movements of the eyeballs, sometimes ragged breathing, hand movements, etc. This phase is also characterized by changes in body temperature and heart rate: they can increase or decrease within the same stage.

I wonder what brain activity during REM sleep is so high that scientists for a long time could not notice the difference on the EEG between this phase of sleep and wakefulness. True, to date several important differences have been found.

Interesting features associated with sleep phases

It is typical for any phase distorted view of time. Probably everyone is familiar with situations when you close your eyes for a minute and 5 hours are gone. The opposite is also true: it seemed like the whole night had passed and I had a lot of dreams, but in fact only 20 minutes had passed.

Some people believe that during sleep a person is completely disconnects from reality, however, in reality this is not the case. Many signals are indeed not processed properly by the brain, especially during
delta sleep, but during REM sleep, sounds become the main source of information. For example, we are not always awakened by noise, but a person can wake up from the fact that someone even quietly calls his name. Also, during REM sleep, sounds can be integrated into the dream and become part of it. This suggests that the brain processes sounds during sleep and decides what to pay attention to and how exactly to do it.

In children, the proportion of REM sleep is greater than in adults, and in older people it is even less. That is the older we get, the shorter the paradoxical phase sleep and longer orthodox. Interestingly, REM sleep is observed even in children in the womb. Scientists say that in the early stages of life (including before birth), REM sleep is very important for the formation of the central nervous system.

Research shows that the brain may not be immersed entirely in the same phase, which is especially characteristic of delta sleep. Although most of the brain is usually at the same stage.

The importance of sleep phases for the body: a small warning

It is impossible to say which sleep is better or more useful - fast or slow. Both phases are needed for good rest and recovery body both physiologically and mental level. In this regard, questions arise about sleep patterns in which there is no full cycle. Surely many have heard about schemes that suggest that a person sleeps not once a day for 6-8 hours, but several times during the day.
Some of these schemes seem quite harmless, but the benefits of others are seriously questionable.

In particular, on the Internet there is information about supposedly very efficient schedule when you need to sleep 6 times for 20 minutes or 4 times for 30 minutes. Based on a typical sleep cycle, these time periods are very short, and in 20-30 minutes a person will not have time to move beyond stages 2-3, that is, we are not talking about deep and REM sleep in principle. Meanwhile, the most important processes for our body occur precisely at these stages. It is possible that people who are described as having success with such regimens have very compressed sleep cycles, but there is a good chance that the reality is simply embellished for the sake of an impressive story.

Of course, for some time the average person’s body will function on 20 minutes 6 times a day. It may even seem to him that he has begun to spend his time more efficiently, but the benefits of these schemes for the body in this case raise questions. Systemic lack of sleep affects both mental and physical health and leads to various unpleasant consequences. Without denying the benefits and effectiveness of other rational sleep patterns, we urge you to consult your doctor and be very wary of options that do not include at least several full cycles per day.

A sleep-deprived person often faces problems feeling unwell, lack of strength. It loses efficiency, and the functionality of all body systems deteriorates. Night rest - physiologically difficult process. It consists of 5 constantly changing slow and fast phases. At this time, a person has time not only to relax, but also to rethink the information accumulated during the day. It is important for everyone to know what slow-wave sleep is, since it is what allows you to fully restore strength.

The first experiments to study night rest, how physiological process, consisted in its interruption in certain time. After this, the subject’s sensations were recorded. They made it possible to establish that night rest consists of phases that change sequentially. The first scientist to study sleep was A.A. Manaseina. She determined that sleep at night is more important for a person than food.

In the 19th century, the scientist Kelschutter found that sleep is stronger and deeper in the first hours after falling asleep. Closer to the morning it becomes superficial. Research became most informative after the use of an electroencephalogram, which records electrical waves emitted by the brain, began to be used for them.

Distinctive features of slow-wave sleep

The slow phase takes up about 85% of the total sleep volume. It's different from fast stage holiday with such features:

1. Consists of 4 stages.
2. At the moment of falling asleep, the movements of the eyeballs are smooth. At the end of the stage they freeze.
3. Dreams at this stage do not have a vivid plot. For some people they may be completely absent.
4. Disruption of the slow-wave sleep phase is accompanied by a person’s irritability; he gets up tired and cannot get enough sleep. His performance declines and his health deteriorates. This happens due to the fact that not all neurochemical processes are completed.
5. Breathing and pulse become slow, a decrease occurs blood pressure, body temperature.
6. At this stage, complete muscle relaxation occurs.

Advice! As for REM sleep, a person wakes up at this stage without consequences for the body. All life processes are activated: heart rate and breathing increase. This rest phase is shorter.

The value of deep sleep

In order for a person to get enough sleep, he must rest properly. During slow sleep, growth hormone is synthesized and cells are intensively restored. The body is able to relax well and renew its energy reserves. At this stage, the rhythms of all brain structures are regulated.

An adult has the opportunity to restore his immune system. If you sleep correctly, for a sufficient amount of time, your metabolism and removal of toxins from body tissues improves. In the slow-wave sleep phase, active processing of information received during the day occurs, consolidation of the learned material.

Elements constituting the Orthodox phase

The slow-wave sleep stage consists of several elements, which can be read about in the table:

These stages have a certain percentage:

1. Napping: 12.1%.
2. Sleep spindles: 38.1%.
3. Delta sleep: 14.2%.
4. Deep delta sleep: 23.5%.

REM sleep takes up 23.5% of the total time.

Duration of the slow stage per night

Many users want to know how long slow-wave sleep should last per night to prevent sleep deprivation. This cycle begins immediately after the sleeper enters an unconscious state. Next comes deep phase. Sensory perception is switched off and cognitive processes are dulled. Normally, the nap period can last 15 minutes. The last three stages take about an hour. The total duration of the slow phase (excluding alternation with REM sleep) is 5 hours.

The length of this period is affected by age. In a child, this phase lasts 20 minutes, in adults under 30 years old – 2 hours. Further, it decreases: from 55-60 years - 85 minutes, after 60 years - 80. Healthy rest should take at least 6-8 hours a day.

It should be noted that the amount of sleep per night is different for each person. Some people can sleep quickly and 4-5 hours will be enough for them, while for others 8-9 hours will not be enough. Here you need to pay attention to your feelings.

It is important to know! Determining the exact time required for a night's rest is done by trial. This will take 1-2 weeks. But we must not allow permanent violation slow phase.

The human condition during deep sleep

At night deep stage will be accompanied by complete relaxation of the muscular system and brain. The conductivity of nerve impulses changes, sensory perception is dulled. Metabolic processes and the functioning of the stomach and intestines slow down.

During this period, the brain requires less oxygen, and blood flow becomes less active. Proper night's rest will be characterized by slowing down the aging process of tissues.

Reducing the slow phase: what is the danger

Depending on how long the slow phase of sleep lasts, a person will feel good and work. Its reduction is fraught with the emergence serious problems with health: clarity of consciousness is lost, appears constant drowsiness. Regular violation normal duration and sleep structures leads to chronic insomnia. A person has the following problems:

• increased fatigue;
• immunity decreases;
• irritability increases, mood often changes;
• are violated metabolic processes, become dull mental functions, attention;
• the functioning of the endocrine system becomes problematic;
• the risk of developing heart and vascular diseases increases;
• performance and endurance decrease;
• Insulin synthesis fails.

Attention! Decreased sleep leads to the development of atherosclerosis, diabetes mellitus, oncological pathologies. Comparative analysis showed that the slow and fast phases of night rest are equally important, although their characteristics will differ.

Regardless of whether a man or woman has a disturbed sleep structure, no matter how much a person sleeps, if he does it incorrectly, he will not get rest desired result. To improve its quality, you need to follow the following recommendations from experts:

1. Stick to a bedtime schedule. It is better to go to bed no later than 11 pm. At the same time, it is advisable to wake up no earlier than 7 am (this indicator varies from person to person).
2. Before going to bed, you need to ventilate the room. The temperature in the bedroom should not exceed 22 degrees. To improve your sleep quality, you can take an evening walk in the fresh air.
3. A few hours before rest, you should not eat food that requires a long digestion time. As a last resort, you can drink a glass of warm milk.
4. Night rest should include the period after midnight to 5 am.
5. Drinking coffee is strictly prohibited strong tea or alcohol in the evening.
6. If a person has difficulty falling asleep, then he can drink tea using soothing herbs (motherwort, valerian), take a relaxing bath with sea ​​salt. Aromatherapy often helps you fall asleep.
7. It is important to choose a comfortable resting position.
8. Preference should be given to orthopedic devices for rest. The mattress should be flat and hard. Do not use a high headboard.
9. The room should be quiet and dark at night.
10. After waking up it is better to take cold and hot shower or do light exercises.

A proper night's rest, respecting its structure, is the key good health And wellness. A person wakes up rested, productive, in in a great mood. Systematic lack of sleep will lead to serious impairments in the functionality of the body, which are not easy to get rid of.

A person needs about 9 hours to restore the body. It all depends on individual characteristics, as some people need a little less sleep. Every person goes through a stage of deep and light sleep. What is the norm of deep sleep, how long does it last, we will consider in the article.

What is deep sleep

This is a slow phase, which is longer than the fast phase. People need deep sleep, as it is responsible for recovery human body and its functions. The nocturnal slow-wave dreaming phase goes through certain stages:

1. Drowsiness sets in - a person begins to fall asleep, the brain is still working in active mode. A person can see images that seem real to him. But they may be associated with problems that have accumulated during the day.

2. Falling asleep is the stage when a person turns off consciousness, although the brain still reacts to stimuli coming from the outside. It is very important that at this stage nothing wakes the person up, since he does not react sensitively to external stimuli.

3. The deep phase is a stage when the body slowly loses functions, the body relaxes, and electrical impulses weakly flow through the brain.

4. Delta is the deepest phase. At this time, the person is relaxed, the brain no longer reacts to incoming messages. outside irritants. A person’s temperature decreases, and so does their breathing rate.

Scientists from all over the world are studying deep sleep. Immersion in a deep state is necessary from the point of view that it is at this stage that the restoration of the body’s cells occurs. Why does having deep sleep matter to a person? great importance? Scientists have proven that the immune system works better if the rest is of the required duration. The immune system allows you to resist infectious diseases, especially during peak months. How long should this dream last? Everything is individual, but on average the delta stage takes about an hour.

How to calculate deep sleep?

The delta phase begins after deep sleep. It is short-lived, taking approximately one hour. Characterized by a maximum shutdown of human consciousness. In order to wake up a sleeping person at this time, you need to make considerable efforts. If a person who was resting during delta sleep wakes up from being woken up, it is difficult for him to orient himself in the space around him for several minutes. In the deep sleep phase muscular system relaxed as much as possible, metabolism slows down, body temperature decreases. For the fair sex – up to 35.6, for men – up to 34.9. The body activates protein synthesis and renews tissue cells. Hair and nails grow in this phase!

What is the norm of deep sleep per night?

Each organism is individual. Therefore, the norm of the deep sleep phase of an adult is different. How many hours should you sleep? There are people for whom a few hours of sleep is enough. For example, this was Napoleon, who slept only 4 hours a day. And Einstein needed 10 hours of proper rest to recuperate. And what’s interesting: both people were active, they left their mark on world history. If a person is forced to reduce his rest, this will negatively affect his health. He won't feel energized. On the contrary, feeling constant fatigue will haunt him.

Scientists from one university decided to conduct an experiment. 110 subjects took part in it. They were carefully selected because the experts were solving the problem - the subjects should never have known problems with sleep. Participants in the experiment were divided into age groups.

The result of the experiment is given in the table:

What are the consequences of a lack of deep sleep? Firstly, it suffers endocrine system body. Somatotropic hormone is not produced, which can lead to obesity in people prone to obesity. In addition, people deprived of the phase in question suffer from apnea. This is a condition characterized by short-term respiratory arrest. The person may not breathe for up to 2 minutes. The body, experiencing this negative phenomenon, transmits an impulse to the brain that it is necessary to wake up. This is an alarm signal, the person gets up. This condition is dangerous because during it heart attacks and strokes most often occur. When treating people who do not go through the deep sleep phase, if they suffer overweight, reset occurs extra pounds. It all comes from the fact that the hormone begins to be produced in the body, therefore, positive changes occur in it. As for apnea, it causes drowsiness. During the day it is dangerous if a person spends time driving. Scientists have proven that the slow rest phase affects not only physical activity, but also on human intelligence.

Fun fact: Athletes sleep more than ordinary people, not experiencing strong physical exercise. 8 hours is not enough for athletes: they are present in the kingdom of Morpheus for 11-12 hours.

Scientists have proven that good sleep has a beneficial effect on mental activity brain. And the proof of this fact happened again with experiments that were carried out on volunteers. They were given a list of words before resting. He needed to be remembered. The words were completely unrelated. Every person remembered them. As a result, it was found that those people who experienced the delta phase remembered many more words compared to those subjects who missed this stage. In addition, the same scientists managed to find out that deprivation of delta sleep leads to the fact that a person does not get enough sleep. In principle, this state is equivalent sleepless night. If the REM sleep phase is compensated for by subsequent nights, then it is impossible to complete the slow sleep phase.

Thus, the norm of the deep sleep phase occupies from 30 to 70% of the total dream in the adult population, in general. In order to get good sleep, you need to follow some recommendations:

Make a special sleep and wake schedule (go to bed and get up at the same time period for several days);
load the body with exercise about an hour and a half before bedtime, but not later;
do not smoke before going to bed, do not eat, do not drink coffee, alcohol;
sleep in a well-inspected room;
sleep on a hard surface;
If you have problems with the spine, you need special equipment for sleeping.

What other signs indicate that a person does not have enough night rest?

Many people think that they slept fully. And therefore they ignore the signs of incomplete sleep that the body sends them. How important is this, for the concept that some people do not have enough sleep, here are some of them:

1. Overeating. If a person did not sleep well, he feels hungrier compared to a normal and full night's sleep. Lack of sleep activates your appetite, which leads to overeating and weight gain.

2. Deterioration of attention and coordination. If a person did not sleep well, he feels exhausted. The body's strength is spent on recovery normal condition. Sometimes it's hard to coordinate. This condition is dangerous while driving; also, such an employee will not be praised at work for the numerous mistakes made due to violation of the rest regime.

3. Appearance. This is the most noticeable sign as visual deterioration occurs general condition skin, hair, nails. Bruises appear under the eyes, which do not decorate either a man or a woman. The help of a cosmetologist is required to hide imperfections in appearance. But it is better to follow the regime and sleep longer, increasing the duration of dreams.

4. Increased risk of colds and infectious diseases. A person whose sleep lasts little is weakened. There must be a certain amount of time for rest. In total it should be 8-9 hours. Therefore, if the regime is not followed, a person can easily become infected colds transmitted by airborne droplets. These are influenza, ARVI, and other viruses that live in the external environment.

So, a normal sleep schedule is necessary healthy person. It allows the body to recover, increase protective forces. Limit sleepers from negative external manifestations. Our health depends on how much we sleep.

Tags: deep sleep, how long deep sleep should last, norm of deep sleep.

For an adult, the normal amount of sleep reaches 7-8 hours, while for children it is somewhat longer and is directly dependent on their age. However, people's bodies are individual and some only need 4-6 hours to restore vitality, while others need 9-10 hours a day to rest.

But regardless of this, any dream consists of two periods - superficial and deep, each of which has its own characteristics. Deep sleep is a complete night's rest, which allows a person to restore his emotional and physical state, as well as performance.

The norm for deep sleep for adults is 90-120 minutes, which is gained over several nightly cycles.

Dream time is conventionally divided into 2 phases: slow and fast. Normally, falling asleep begins with slow-wave sleep, which is much longer than the rapid phase. However, closer to the moment of awakening, the duration of the phases changes in a different direction.

If you look at time, then, consisting of four stages, lasts 90-120 minutes, while a quick rest “flies by” in 5-10 minutes. The sum of these numbers represents one sleep cycle in an adult. In children (infants, adolescents), the duration of this cycle differs, depending on their age.

As we approach morning, with each repetition of the cycle, the duration of the slow phase becomes shorter, while the duration of the fast phase increases. During the night, a sleeping person gradually undergoes 4-5 cycles. Deep sleep is considered an important stage during the night period, which helps restore a person’s physical and intellectual strength.

Features of the slow rest stage

How long should deep sleep last? This is a question that interests people who have problems with recovery. vitality at night time. It is worth knowing that during the night there are 4-5 sleep cycles, and they begin with the slow phase. In turn, the slow phase consists of 4 stages:

• nap;
• falling asleep;
• deep rest;
• delta.

During these stages, the body of an adult and a child relaxes, its functions fade, and the brain rests. It is at this time that the body recharges with energy and restores its strength.

You can learn more about what changes can happen to the body during each stage if you familiarize yourself with their characteristics:

Nap

During this period, a person falls asleep, but his brain continues to work and create dreams intertwined with reality. A special feature is that in this state it is possible to solve problems that previously seemed insoluble.

Falling asleep

This continuation of the slow phase is characterized by a gradual shutdown of consciousness, but the brain still continues to respond. At this stage, a person can easily be awakened by any noise.

Deep stage

Changes appear in the body, it relaxes, all functions and processes in it slow down.

Delta stage

During this period, it is difficult to wake up a person, since he is completely immersed in sleep, his body temperature drops, he is completely relaxed, and his blood circulation and breathing rate slow down. It is quite difficult to wake up a sleeping person at this stage - you will need to shake the person or call loudly.

Slow rest is the longest in time, and it completely depends on the characteristics of the body. If a person can get a good night's sleep, it will have positive influence on mental activity, well-being and physical endurance.

When a person does not get enough sleep, he will feel quite bad, and if he develops insomnia, then this condition greatly exhausts the body, leading to numerous diseases.

No less important function delta period is the transition of information from short term memory into the long term. This process takes place in a special structure of the brain (hippocampus) and lasts several hours.

The latest scientific data has found that during deep sleep, the metabolic processes in the body, its cells and tissues are restored - this leads to the fact that the internal organs have time to fully prepare for the new day.

If the REM sleep phase predominates over the slow sleep phase, then any person, regardless of his age and gender (man, woman, newborn or older child), will feel unwell. The main symptom of this condition will be muscle weakness, deterioration of memory and brain function, as well as other negative phenomena.

Sleep disturbance and causes of this condition

Surely every fourth person experiences problems with, which are divided into several groups:

• difficulty falling asleep;
• deterioration of night rest;
• problems with well-being after waking up.

What is considered a sleep disorder? In fact, it is a temporary disorder of any phase of nocturnal dreams that lead to mental disorders when awake. If this condition continues for a long time, then the person may develop depression. Therefore, it is important to identify the cause of sleep disorders in time, but this is not always easy to do.

If the disruption of normal rest has no reason, then most often it goes away on its own after 1-2 nights. Otherwise, when the sleep disorder lasts for a long time, this state can cause the most serious reasons:

• disturbance of the psycho-emotional sphere – chronic stress, bipolar disorder, depression, etc.;
• diseases internal organs and associated pain sensations;
• emotional experiences;
• mental stress.

If there are problems with falling asleep or the inability to do so, the deep and delta sleep phases are reduced or do not occur at all. There are several ways to restore healthy holiday, which can help when the first signs of insomnia appear.

Otherwise, a person must apply for medical assistance, otherwise sleep disturbance may lead to serious consequences for good health.

Restoring proper rest

So that the stage of deep and delta rest occurs regularly and lasts required time, during which a person will have time to restore his internal forces, you should use the following tips:

• maintaining a daily routine - if you go to bed and get up at the same time, you will be able to normalize your night's rest and make it easier to wake up (the body itself will let you know that it is time to sleep);
• refusal of food, smoking, alcohol, invigorating drinks before rest - 1-2 hours before going to bed you can eat an apple or drink a glass of kefir;
• Adequate physical activity will help increase the duration of deep sleep;
• It is imperative to eliminate light and noise sources that interfere with normal sleep;
• ventilation - falling asleep in a cool room is much easier than in a stuffy room;
• listening to light music - this measure allows a person to relax, rest and fall asleep faster (cricket singing, binaural rhythm, the sound of the sea, rustling leaves, etc.);
• watching light entertainment programs before bedtime - allows you to distract yourself;
• refusal of mental work in the evening (2-3 hours before bedtime) – help eliminate intrusive thoughts in the head that prevents you from falling asleep, techniques such as relaxation and meditation can help.

These measures will improve falling asleep and normalize night rest in adults and infants. In severe cases, an adult may require hypnosis, which will help restore the normal “schedule” of the body. However, only a specialist who has extensive experience and has the necessary knowledge can put a patient into a trance.

Also, eliminating sleep problems involves treating diseases in the patient, if they are the cause of insomnia.

If there is depression, a person is recommended to visit a psychotherapist who will conduct a course of treatment and prescribe antidepressants to the patient to eliminate disturbances in the psycho-emotional sphere (sometimes they appear after the person is put under anesthesia).

If you have problems with rest, you should not take it right away. sleeping pills, since they should only be prescribed by a doctor. Important: sleeping pills may have Negative influence on the quality of recovery of physical and emotional state person during rest.