We all know sleep is important and can make all the difference in how we feel. But we now know it goes even further than that: sleep is intrinsically tied to the quality of our overall health and well-being. So getting consistent, high-quality Zzz’s? Pretty much one of the most important things we can do.
The Goods Inside
- The four stages of sleep
- Circadian rhythm’s important role
- Three things that can sabotage sleep
If your first thought is “ugh”—we get it. More than one in three American adults say they don't get the recommended amount of seven or more hours each night.1
Having a sleepless night every now and then usually just leads to some crankiness, lack of focus and an extra cup of coffee or two. But if this is happening on a regular basis, then it can be linked to a wide array of serious mental and physical issues.1
The good snooze: you can get your sleep back on track. A great starting place is understanding how sleep works in the first place.
One in three American adults say they don't get the recommended amount of sleep1
How We Sleep: The Four Stages
You might think we fall asleep, have a few dreams and then wake up, but there’s a whole world going on in our brains while we snooze.
Sleep is divided into two distinct categories: rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and non-REM sleep. Within this, there are four different sleep stages. The first three stages are NREM sleep, while the fourth is REM sleep. People typically cycle through the four stages 4-6 times each night.2
What Happens During Each Stage
Stage 1: NREM (lasts 1-7 minutes)
This is essentially when a person first falls asleep. The body hasn't fully relaxed and it’s easy to wake someone up.2
Stage 2: NREM (lasts 10-25 minutes)
This stage includes a drop in body temperature, more relaxed muscles, slowed breathing and heart rate. In general, brain activity mellows but there are short bursts of activity.2
Stage 3: NREM (lasts 20-40 minutes)
This stage is known as deep sleep and it’s harder to wake someone up. Heartbeat and breathing slow to their lowest levels, and brain waves become even slower.2
Stage 3 allows for recovery and growth. It’s when we repair injuries and regenerate cells, reinforce immune systems and more essential functions.2 And even though brain activity is reduced, the deep-sleep stage contributes to insightful thinking and creativity when we’re awake.2
Stage 4: REM (lasts 10-60 minutes)
Dreams can occur in any sleep stage, but they’re more common and intense during REM.2 During stage four, brain activity picks up, nearing levels seen when we’re awake. At the same time, arm and leg muscles become temporarily immobilized (don’t worry, it’s not as scary as it sounds), which prevents us from acting out dreams—something to be thankful for! As we age, we spend less sleeping time in REM.
How Circadian Rhythm Plays into This
You’ve likely heard of circadian rhythm, but what is it exactly? It’s an internal clock run by the part of the brain known as the hypothalamus.3 This biological process tells your body when to sleep and when to wake up and tackle the day. Circadian rhythm takes its cues from changes in light (which goes back to when humans used to rise with the sun and stop hunting/foraging at dark). It also plays a key role in things like digestion, temperature regulation and the body releasing hormones.3
One of its many important jobs is to release cortisol in the morning, which lets the body know that it’s time to get up and get going. Cortisol levels gradually decline throughout the day, and they reach their lowest point before bedtime. That’s when melatonin enters the scene, helping us switch gears and prepare for sleep.4 It’s a great system, but a few things can get in the way.
Three Common Things that Sabotage Sleep
The first one is a biggie: stress. Stress can cause your body to release cortisol (a hormone produced by the adrenal glands), which increases alertness.4 Not to mention all the other things that go along with stress, like racing thoughts, which doesn’t lend itself to relaxation.
Another common culprit: caffeine. This stimulant affects different people differently, but it can have a significant impact on sleep. This includes disrupting the natural sleep-wake cycle, making it harder to fall asleep.5
And thirdly, alcohol. Alcohol is deceptive in that it can help you fall asleep quickly, but it disrupts the sleep stages—especially REM sleep—which can cause you to wake up feeling exhausted.2
So what can you do to support sleep?
For some actionable tips, check out this article which dives into sleep hygiene best practices (a.k.a. bedtimes do’s and don’ts) to help you get more restful shuteye. You'll also learn about OLLY sleep support products that that can help you catch those covetable Zzz’s.
If you’re concerned about your quality of sleep or how it’s affecting your health, it’s always a good idea to consult a medical professional about what might be the best course of action for you.
References
1 Yong Liu, MD; Anne G. Wheaton, PhD; Daniel P. Chapman, PhD; Timothy J. Cunningham, ScD; Hua Lu, MS; Janet B. Croft, PhD. Prevalence of Healthy Sleep Duration among Adults. Retrieved December 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/65/wr/mm6506a1.htm - New Window
2 Suni, Eric and Dr. Abhinav Singh. Stages of Sleep: What Happens in a Sleep Cycle. Retrieved December 2024. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/stages-of-sleep - New Window
3 Circadian Rhythm. Retrieved December 2024. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/circadian-rhythm - New Window
4 Suni, Eric and Dimitriu, Alex. Stress and Insomnia. Retrieved December 2024. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/insomnia/stress-and-insomnia#:~:text=The%20network%20known%20as%20the,referred%20to%20as%20stress%20hormones - New Window
5 Danielle Pacheco and Dr. Dustin Cotliar. Caffeine and Sleep. Retrieved December 2024. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/nutrition/caffeine-and-sleep - New Window
The Goods Inside
- The four stages of sleep
- Circadian rhythm’s important role
- Three things that can sabotage sleep
