Sleep Cycle

What are the sleep cycles

Sleep isn’t uniform. We typically go through 4-6 rounds of the sleep cycle which consists of the 4 cycles described below: 

Stage 1 (N1): The lightest stage of sleep. Begins when we transition from wakefulness to sleep. This cycle last about 1-7 minutes, depending on sleep habits, stress levels and other factors. In this stage, melatonin is released to help ease you into sleep. Pre-sleep breathwork can help ease you into a better night’s sleep as breathwork and meditation allow you to tap into your parasympathetic nervous system, resulting in reduced stress.

Stage 2 (N2): Stage 2 is still a light sleep phase, in which brain waves called Sleep Spindles kick in to store memories. This cycle last about 10-25 minutes. Regular physical activity has been shown to positively influence spindle activity. Muscles begins to relax and the body temperature drops in this stage. 

Stage 3 (N3): Stage 3 is a deeper sleep in which the body restores itself. This stage typically lasts 20-40 minutes and is important for muscle growth. In this stage, the brain releases growth hormones which help with repairing tissue and growing muscles. 

Stage 4 (REM):  The final stage of sleep is the REM (Rapid Eye Movement) stage. This is the stage in which vivid dreams occur. The REM cycle usually lasts 10-60 minutes, getting longer each time the cycle repeats.