Good Morning. I hope that everyone was able to take the opportunity to rest, recuperate and refocus for the upcoming week. This morning, I would like to speak with you about the importance of the sleep cycle. It is imperative for anyone, not only those with Fibromyalgia to have a sleep cycle where you are getting between 8 - 10 hours of sleep each night. The majority of people with Fibromyalgia also deal with chronic fatigue syndrome, which makes the sleep cycle all the more so important. Sleep is composed of two states: Rapid Eye Movement (REM) Sleep and Non Rapid Eye Movement (NREM) Sleep, which in itself consists of four stages. The body during sleep shifts between NREM and REM cycles, usually starting off with the NREM cycle first. The REM cycle, which is your "deep sleep" cycle is where your dreams occur. What is important is that all stages of NREM must be achieved before the brain can shift to REM sleep, which is where the body begins to properly rest and recuperate its expended energy. NREM: During the NREM sleep cycle, the body repairs itself such as strengthening the immune system, building muscle and bone as well as regenerating tissue. As one ages, the less "deep sleep" one gets. Stage 1: This is where the reduction in activity occurs. The eyes are closed, but the sleep is light and one can b wakened easily. If this happens, then the person will feel as if they did not sleep at all. The completion of stage 1 can last from five to ten minutes. Stage 2: This stage is also a stage of light sleep, but a period where the body prepares itself for deep sleep. During stage 2, there are what is called positive and negative waves, which demonstrate the muscle tone and muscle relaxation of the body. The heart rate begins to slow down and the body temperature starts to drop. Stage 3 and Stage 4: These two stages are the stages of deep sleep with stage 4 being more profound than stage 3. If awakened during either of these two stages, the person may feel disoriented for a moment or two. REM: REM sleep starts approximately 90 minutes after the first stage of NREM has begun. The first cycle of REM usually lasts 10 minutes, after which you cycle back to NREM and start over. The more REM cycles you experience during your sleep, the longer each REM gets. Dreams occur during the REM cycle due to the heighten brain activity; during the REM cycle, the body alternates between this excessive brain activity and muscular immobility, which is why the REM cycle is also referred to as paradoxical sleep.
Posted on: Mon, 09 Sep 2013 13:38:44 +0000
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