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HOW WE SLEEP HOW WE WAKE

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Sleep is a complex biological process that is necessary for our physical and mental health. During sleep, our bodies and brains go through cycles of activity that help us to rest, restore and repair. When we go to sleep, our bodies and brains begin to slow down and prepare for sleep. This is known as the sleep onset process. During this process, our brains produce less of the hormones that keep us awake and alert and more of the hormones that help us relax and drift off to sleep. Our heart rate and breathing become slower, and our body temperature decreases. The sleep cycle then progresses through four stages of non-REM (rapid eye movement) sleep and one stage of REM sleep. Non-REM sleep is divided into stages 1, 2, 3, and 4, with stage 1 being the lightest and stage 4 being the deepest. REM sleep is the stage of sleep in which our brain activity is more active and we experience dreams. REM sleep usually occurs about 90 minutes after falling asleep and the cycle repeats several times during the night. We wake up when our bodies secrete hormones that stimulate our brains and reduce the production of hormones that help us sleep. This is known as the sleep offset process.