How can you fix your sleep cycle? Discover 12 effective tips to reset your internal clock and get a good night’s sleep, from light exposure to exercise and relaxation techniques.

Regulating Your Circadian Rhythm

Our internal body clock, known as the circadian rhythm, controls the 24-hour sleep-wake cycle. This cycle is regulated by the hypothalamus in the brain, which responds to external cues like light and darkness. When your circadian rhythm gets disrupted, it can lead to sleep issues. Factors like shift work, jet lag, and irregular sleep schedules can all throw off your internal clock.

Optimize Light Exposure

One of the best ways to fix your sleep schedule is to manage your exposure to light. Light exposure affects melatonin production, the hormone that regulates sleep. In the morning, open the curtains or go for a walk to help you wake up. At night, dim the lights and avoid screen time to prepare your body for sleep.

Incorporate Relaxation Techniques

Stress and anxiety can increase cortisol levels, making it harder to fall asleep. Incorporate calming activities like yoga, meditation, or journaling into your bedtime routine to promote relaxation and better sleep quality.

Avoid Daytime Napping

While napping can provide a quick energy boost, it can also disrupt your nighttime sleep. If you must nap, keep it to less than 30 minutes and avoid napping after 3 PM.

Prioritize Regular Exercise

Exercise can help regulate your circadian rhythm by aligning your body’s internal clock. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate aerobic activity several times a week, but avoid intense exercise close to bedtime.

Create a Sleep-Conducive Environment

Factors like noise, temperature, and your sleeping surface can all impact sleep quality. Ensure your bedroom is cool, quiet, and comfortable to promote better rest.

Adjust Your Eating Habits

Your eating schedule can also affect your circadian rhythm. Avoid late-night meals and try to eat dinner a few hours before bedtime to allow for proper digestion.

How can optimizing light exposure help reset my sleep cycle?

Light exposure is a key regulator of the circadian rhythm. When you’re exposed to light, your brain stops producing melatonin, the sleep hormone. Darkness signals your brain to produce more melatonin, making you feel drowsy. Exposing yourself to light in the morning and avoiding bright lights in the evening can help reset your internal clock and improve sleep quality.

What are some effective relaxation techniques for better sleep?

Activities like yoga, stretching, meditation, deep breathing, and journaling can all help reduce stress and promote relaxation before bed. These practices can lower cortisol levels, the stress hormone that can interfere with sleep. Incorporating a calming bedtime routine can help prepare your body and mind for a good night’s rest.

How does regular exercise impact my circadian rhythm?

Exercise helps regulate your body’s internal clock by aligning your circadian rhythm. Most of your body’s tissues, including skeletal muscle, are connected to your biological clock. When you work out, your muscles respond by synchronizing with your circadian rhythm. Exercise also promotes melatonin production, which can improve sleep quality the same night.

What’s the ideal bedroom temperature for quality sleep?

The optimal bedroom temperature for sleep is between 60 and 67°F (15 to 19°C). Anything below 54°F (12°C) or above 75°F (24°C) can disrupt your slumber. A cool, comfortable environment helps facilitate the natural drop in body temperature that occurs before sleep onset, making it easier to fall and stay asleep.

How does my eating schedule affect my sleep cycle?

Your circadian rhythm is closely tied to your eating habits. Consuming a large meal too close to bedtime can delay sleep, as your body is focused on digesting the food. It’s recommended to eat your last meal 2-3 hours before going to bed, allowing your body enough time to properly digest. Maintaining a consistent eating schedule can also help reinforce your internal clock.

What are the benefits of avoiding daytime napping when trying to reset my sleep cycle?

Napping during the day can make it more difficult to fall asleep at night, disrupting your sleep-wake cycle. Long naps in particular can lead to grogginess upon waking, as you’re interrupting your body’s natural sleep cycle. If you must nap, aim for less than 30 minutes and try to do so before 3 PM to avoid interference with your nighttime sleep.

How can a comfortable sleeping environment improve the quality of my sleep?

Creating a sleep-conducive environment is crucial for getting quality rest. Factors like noise, temperature, and the comfort of your mattress and pillows can all impact your ability to fall and stay asleep. Ensuring your bedroom is cool, quiet, and comfortable can help facilitate the natural sleep process and prevent disruptions throughout the night.

How to Fix Your Sleep Schedule: 12 Tips

Throughout the day, your internal clock rotates between sleep and wakefulness. This 24-hour sleep-wake cycle is known as our circadian rhythm.

Your internal clock is located in a part of the brain called the hypothalamus. It responds to external cues that tell your body it’s time to go to bed.

Sometimes, your circadian rhythm can get thrown off due to:

• shift work
• all-nighters
• jet lag
• traveling across time zones

Luckily, there are things you can do to improve sleep hygiene and reset your internal clock.

Here are 12 ways to work your way back to a good night’s sleep.

One of the best ways to fix your sleep schedule is to plan your exposure to light.

When you’re exposed to light, your brain stops producing melatonin, the sleep hormone. This makes you feel awake and alert.

Darkness tells your brain to make more melatonin, so you feel drowsy.

In the morning, exposing yourself to light can help you wake up. Try opening the curtains, taking a walk, or relaxing on the porch.

At night, prime yourself for sleep by turning off or dimming bright lights. You should also avoid glowing electronic screens from computers, smartphones, or television, as they can stimulate your brain for several hours.

Making time for relaxation might help you sleep better.

When you’re stressed or anxious, your body produces more cortisol, the stress hormone. The higher the cortisol, the more awake you feel.

Creating a relaxing bedtime ritual may reduce stress and its negative effects on sleep.

Focus on calming activities, such as:

• yoga
• stretching
• meditation
• deep breathing
• journaling
• drinking caffeine-free tea

If your sleep schedule is out of whack, avoid naps during the day. Napping can make it difficult to go back to sleep at night.

Long naps might also cause grogginess, which is the result of waking up from deep sleep.

If you must nap, aim for less than 30 minutes. It’s also best to nap before 3 p.m. so your nighttime sleep isn’t disrupted.

One way to reset your internal clock is getregular exercise.

Most of your tissues — including skeletal muscle — are linked to your biological clock. So, when you work out, muscle responds by aligning your circadian rhythm.

Exercise also helps you sleep better by promoting melatonin production.

Thirty minutes of moderate aerobic exercise may improve your sleep quality that same night. However, you’ll get the best results if you exercise regularly. Aim for 30 minutes of moderate aerobic activity at least five times a week.

Keep in mind that evening exercise can overstimulate your body. If you want to exercise at night, do it at least one to two hours before bedtime.

A quiet sleeping environment is a must for a good night’s rest.

Your brain continues to process sounds, even as you snooze. Loud, distracting noises can make it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep.

To remove loud noises, keep your television out of the bedroom and turn it off before bedtime. Turn off your cell phone or use the “silent” setting.

If you live in a noisy neighborhood, white noise can help you get quality sleep.

White noise is a soothing, steady sound that masks environmental noise. You can create white noise by using a:

• fan
• air conditioner
• humidifier
• air purifier
• white noise machine

You can also wear ear plugs to block outside sounds.

Just before bedtime, your body temperature drops to prepare for sleep.

A cool bedroom temperature — between 60 and 67°F (15 to 19°C) — will help you feel comfortable and doze off.

One 2012 study from the National Institutes of Health found that the temperature of the room where you sleep is one of the most important factors in achieving quality sleep.

Anything below 54°F (12°C) or higher than 75°F (24°C) might disrupt your slumber, so be sure to adjust your thermostat.

You can also use an air conditioner or fan during warmer weather, or a space heater during cold weather. These offer the extra benefit of creating white noise.

A comfortable bed is the best sleeping environment for a good night’s rest.

Old mattresses and pillows can cause aches and pains, making it difficult to get quality sleep.

Generally, experts suggest replacing your mattresses every 10 years and pillows every two years.

You should also get a new mattress or pillow if you wake up feeling stiff, or if you feel more comfortable sleeping on a bed away from home.

The firmness of your mattresses and pillows is up to you. But if your mattress is saggy and your pillows are lumpy, it’s time for a replacement.

Want suggestions? Browse our market, filled with editor-trusted and expert-verified pillow and mattress recommendations.

Your circadian rhythm also responds to your eating habits.

A late dinner can delay sleep, so eat your last meal two to three hours before bed. This will give your body enough time to digest the meal.

Eating dinner around the same time each day will also get your body used to a routine.

It matters what you eat, too. Heavy, high-fat meals might disrupt sleep because they take a while to digest.

If you’re hungry, eat a light snack. The best foods for sleep include a combination of carbs and protein, such as wheat toast and almond butter.

Avoid caffeinated drinks like coffee, tea, or energy drinks. As a stimulant, caffeine takes several hours to wear off, so have your last cup before mid-afternoon.

It’s also best to skip alcohol before bed. A nightcap might make you drowsy, but alcohol actually disrupts your circadian rhythm, making it difficult to sleep well.

If you want to fix your sleep schedule, it helps to make one first.

Choose a bedtime and wake-up time. Stick to these times every day, even on weekends or days off. Try to avoid staying up or sleeping in for more than one to two hours.

By following a regular schedule, your internal clock can develop a new routine. Over time, you’ll be able to fall asleep and wake up with ease.

When you eat and digest food, your internal clock knows that you’re awake. That’s because metabolism and circadian rhythm are closely linked.

On the other hand, fasting puts your body on “standby” so it can repair itself. Fasting is also a normal part of sleep.

Try skipping food just before bedtime. Since fasting naturally happens during sleep, it may help you doze off.

Plus, your body continues to burn calories during sleep. If you fast before bed, you’re more likely to feel hungry in the morning. This might motivate you to rise early, then return to a normal sleep schedule over the next few days.

But remember, going to bed on an empty stomach can keep you awake. Fasting may be useful if you aren’t already hungry.

As mentioned earlier, melatonin is a hormone that regulates your sleep cycle.

Melatonin is normally made by the pineal gland in the brain, but it’s also available as a supplement. It can promote relaxation, so people with jet lag or insomnia often use it as a sleep aid.

At the proper dose, melatonin is generally considered safe. Always follow the instructions.

Possible side effects include:

• drowsiness
• headache
• nausea
• dizziness

If you’re taking other medications or have other health conditions, check with your doctor before using melatonin.

It’s normal to have sleep problems every now and then.

Usually, changing behaviors or habits can restore your routine. But if sleep troubles persist, visit your doctor.

You might have an undiagnosed sleep disorder. If so, a sleep specialist can guide you through proper treatment.

Shift work, all-nighters, and jet lag can mess with your sleep schedule. Fortunately, practicing good sleep hygiene can get you back on track.

Before bed, avoid bright lights and heavy meals. Make sure your sleeping environment is comfortable, quiet, and cool. During the day, stay active and skip naps so you can sleep better.

If you still can’t sleep well, visit to your doctor.

How to Reset Your Sleep Cycle

Written by Rachel Reiff Ellis

• Starting From Behind
• Preparing for Disruptions
• Travel and Time Changes
• Living With a Newborn Baby
• Shift Work
• Stress
• More

If you have chronic insomnia, you’ve likely been working with your doctor or a sleep specialist on ways to get more quality sleep. But sometimes, life can thwart the best-laid sleep plans. Travel, a newborn baby, shift work, and other disruptions can get in the way of your insomnia-busting habits.

Interruptions to sleep schedules can be hard on anyone. But when you have chronic insomnia, you’re already behind the curve.

“You don’t have the same sleep reserves built up,” says Tracy Chisholm, PsyD, a behavioral sleep medicine psychologist at the Portland VA Medical Center. “You’re likely to have an even harder time recovering from additional sleep disruptions because you were already struggling to operate on less than a full tank. ”

You’re also more likely to dwell on the sleep you’re losing, which can trigger a negative feedback loop. “In other words, you worry about it more,” says Chisholm. “And guess what definitely does not help improve your sleep? Worry. This can become a vicious cycle.”

There are practical steps you can take to help prevent or cope with sleep loss in situations that are out of your control. You can also try adjusting your mindset.

“Many times, people go into scenarios like travel assuming they’ll have difficulties with their sleep, but sometimes a change in environment can actually help you sleep better,” says Ina Djonlagic, MD, a neurologist and sleep medicine specialist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

Bottom line: Don’t expect the worst, but practice good habits to prepare in case things go awry.

Here’s how to get back on track when certain situations mess with your sleep schedule.

Different time zones, strange beds in strange rooms, environments that aren’t comfortable — there are a host of ways travel can keep you from getting your ZZZs. Try these tips before your trip:

Head off jet lag. Slowly adjust your sleep schedule at home before you leave.

“About a week or two before you depart, start shifting your bedtime and wake time in small increments, to more closely match your destination time zone,” says Chisholm.

If you’re going somewhere very far away, wait until you get there and then start by following local mealtimes and sleep times, says Chisholm. Go to bed when night comes, and get up when it’s light.

Try temporary aids. Some people find low-dose melatonin or timed exposure to light to be helpful when they travel. “Correctly timing these interventions is key for effectiveness,” Chisholm says. “Consult with a sleep specialist if you’re interested in either of these approaches.”

Babies spare no one from sleep disruption. You’re at the mercy of your newborn’s sleep-wake cycle, which won’t be the same as yours. “Babies have much shorter sleep cycles than adults — 50 to 60 minutes, as opposed to our 90- to 110-minute cycles,” says Chisholm. Babies also need to eat every 2 to 3 hours.

The key is to get good sleep when you can and know things will gradually get better. You can try to:

• Sleep when your baby sleeps.
• Build up breast milk reserves by pumping between feedings, and ask a partner, friend, or family member to take over feedings when you sleep.

The term “shift work” can include evening, graveyard, or early morning shifts, as well as fixed or rotating schedules. Rotating schedules that change from one day to the next tend to be the worst for sleep. Flip-flopping your days and nights can take a toll on your health.

“Unregulated schedules are so hard that my best advice is to try to see if you can work a different schedule that better fits healthy sleep patterns,” says Djonlagic. If that’s just not possible, you can try to:

• Keep the same bedtime, wake time, and mealtimes every day of the week, even on your days off. This helps keep your internal clock set around your work schedule.
• Allow yourself enough time to wind down after work before trying to fall asleep. Don’t just come home and crash.
• Use ear plugs or white noise to help you fall asleep and stay asleep without interruption if you sleep during the day. You can also wear an eye mask and use blackout curtains.
• Stay ahead of your brain. “If your commute home happens as the sun is rising, consider wearing blue light-blocking glasses so your brain doesn’t think that you’re about to start a whole new day,” says Chisholm.

Stress turns on your fight-or-flight response, which isn’t restful at all. In fact, it prevents sleep.

“From your body’s perspective, it’s like you’re trying to sleep while a saber-toothed tiger is lurking right outside your cave,” says Chisholm. She recommends these tips:

• Create a relaxing sleep routine that you follow every night. Make sure the final steps in this routine involve a non-stimulating activity that you enjoy. “I often recommend those with insomnia read, listen to audiobooks or calming music, or practice relaxation techniques,” says Chisholm.
• Avoid watching the news or discussing intense topics right before bed. Doing those things can keep your mind and body from feeling relaxed.
• Exercise regularly, but make sure you finish at least a few hours before bedtime.
• If you have a lot on your mind, write it down, at least an hour or so before bed, to help your brain “let it go” just for the rest of the night. You can always come back to your notes in the morning.
• Consider seeking support from family, friends, or professionals to help you manage stress.

“The most important thing to keep in mind is that if you already have chronic insomnia, don’t wait to get treatment — especially if you anticipate even more sleep disruptions,” says Chisholm. “Addressing chronic insomnia first can help you better cope when these common sleep disruptors occur.”

Top Picks

Sleep optimization: how to sleep less, but better

• David Robson
• BBC Worklife

December 1, 2019

.

Image copyright Getty Images

Scientists have already learned how to deepen and speed up the recovery processes that occur in our brain during sleep. Will it make us feel better even when we go to bed too late and wake up too early?

We often talk about our sleep difficulties with some pride. After all, they testify that we lead an extremely busy life.

Let’s remember Thomas Edison, Margaret Thatcher – yes, the same Donald Trump. All of them are famous for their short night rest – 4-5 hours of sleep, much less than the 7-9 hours recommended by doctors for adults.

• We cut our own sleep, and the consequences are very disturbing
• Why good sleep in the morning is good for your work
• Is it true that with age a person needs less time to sleep
• How long can one go without sleep?

Many of us seem to follow suit: according to the US Centers for Disease Prevention and Control, more than a third of US adults regularly lack sleep.

The consequences are known – from memory impairment to increased risk of infectious diseases, from difficulty making decisions to obesity. But they are often ignored.

Alas, when our work needs exceed our normal daily schedule, the first thing we sacrifice is hours of sleep.

But if we could optimize the hours we spend sleeping, make them more efficient? Would we then need less time to sleep, and would it be deeper?

This possibility is closer than we think. Techniques for optimizing sleep already exist, and experiments around the world are proving that we can improve the efficiency of our brains at night.

First we speed up our deep sleep, and then we increase the quality of our rest.

Do you think it sounds too nice to be true? Let’s figure it out.

Slowing down the rhythm

During a typical night, the brain goes through different stages of sleep, each with its own characteristic “brain wave” pattern. At the same time, neurons in different areas of the brain work synchronously, in a certain rhythm (like a large crowd chanting something in unison).

During REM sleep, also known as rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, the rhythm of neurons is relatively fast – that’s when we usually dream.

But at certain moments our eyes stop moving, dreams stop dreaming and the rhythm of brain activity drops to one “beat” per second.

And here we plunge into that very deep unconscious state, which is called the phase of slow sleep.

It is this stage that is of most interest to scientists studying the possibilities of optimizing sleep.

Image copyright, Getty Images

Image caption,

Margaret Thatcher, among other things, was known for sleeping four to five hours a night, at least during her years as British Prime Minister

Research since the 1980s has shown that non-REM sleep is critical to maintaining normal brain function. During it, the corresponding areas of the brain transfer memories of what happened during the day from the category of short-term memory to long-term – so that we do not forget what we have learned and learned.

“Slow-wave sleep facilitates this transfer of information,” says Jan Born, Head of the Department of Medical Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience at the University of Tübingen (Germany).

• How some people manage to get by with little to no sleep
• The best recipe for a broken heart or clouded mind is to take a nap

Slow-wave sleep also triggers blood and spinal fluid flow to the brain, thus “flushing out” potentially damaging neurons ” blockages”.

At the same time, levels of cortisol (hydrocortisone, the “stress hormone”) are lowered, which helps to restore the immune system, preparing it for future attacks of infections.

Image copyright, Getty Images

Image caption,

Many companies are now working to develop methods to help their customers achieve deeper, more NREM sleep, much like children do.

Born and other scientists wondered if we could to improve the quality of sleep and, in particular, the phases of non-REM sleep so much that it will improve our daytime functioning?

One of the most promising techniques is to use a sort of metronome for the sleeping brain. Participants in the experiments put on a kind of helmet on their heads, which captures the phases of their brain activity during sleep – including when they are immersed in the slow phase.

And then the device begins to reproduce short impulses, barely audible sounds with a frequency that matches the brain impulses of the non-REM sleep phase.

These sounds are not loud enough to wake a sleeping person, but a person subconsciously perceives them.

Bourne came to the conclusion that such gentle sound stimulation is quite sufficient to ensure that the correct brain rhythms enhance the state of deep sleep.

• Circadian rhythms: why is daylight so important for good sleep?
• Scientists have found how sound sleep can prevent the onset of Alzheimer’s disease slept with a device that produced no stimulation.

  The signals sent by the device changed the hormonal balance, helped to reduce the level of cortisol in the body.

  To date, none of the participants in the experiments have reported adverse effects or side effects of such brain stimulation, Born says.

  For sound sleep – to the store

  Most of the experiments to deepen the phase of non-REM sleep involved small groups of young and healthy volunteers. So, in order to be fully convinced of the benefits of such techniques, research should be wider and in groups with more diverse composition.

  But the technology has already made its way into some household devices – mainly in the form of headbands worn at night on the head.

  • Why do we twitch when we fall asleep
  • What do animals see in their dreams?

  The French start-up Dreem, for example, produces such a headband (costs about 400 euros), as in the experiments described above, stimulating the brain with sound impulses that immerse a person in a phase of slow sleep. The effectiveness of this device is confirmed by a peer-reviewed scientific study.

  The French gadget comes with a mobile application that analyzes your sleep and offers practical advice and exercises to improve it – including meditation and breathing exercises.

  Philips, the manufacturer of the SmartSleep device, makes it clear that it wants to help alleviate the negative effects of sleep deprivation.

  The device is for those people “who, for whatever reason, simply can’t afford to get as much sleep as their body needs,” says David White, Chief Scientist at Philips.

  Image copyright, Getty Images

  Image caption,

  Philips joined the research to improve sleep efficiency with its own device for sleep-deprived people

  Launched in 2018. Like the Dreem, it’s a headband that detects electrical brain activity and periodically sends out short beeps to stimulate the vibrations that are characteristic of non-REM sleep.

  The gadget relies on software that offers the optimal level of stimulation for a particular person (SmartSleep is currently only available in the US, its price is 39$9).

  David White agrees that such devices are not a complete substitute for a good night’s sleep. But, he says, those who suffer from sleep deprivation are extremely difficult to convince of the need to change their lifestyle. And the device should at least help them feel better during the day.

  Philips’ own research is reported to have confirmed that SmartSleep stimulates slow-wave sleep in those who are regularly sleep deprived, and mitigates the impact of this sleep loss on the effectiveness of the memory consolidation process during the night.

  No doubt, in the future, new experiments will lead to new devices and innovative ways to optimize sleep.

  • Remembering a dream: why is it so difficult?
  • Dream Guide: How to Overcome Nightmares and Start Flying

  Auror Perrault of Concordia University (Montreal) recently tested a bed that gently rocked back and forth every four seconds, much like a cradle with a baby.

  According to her, her colleague suggested this after she had a baby and had to rock him to sleep. Scientists have a question: but will it work with adults too?

  Image copyright Dreem

  Image caption

  French startup Dreem’s device uses sound brain stimulation to improve sleep quality. Similar products are starting to appear on the market

  Indeed, it turned out that the participants in the experiment fell into slow sleep faster and spent more time in it. Their brains synchronized with external movement.

  As expected, they reported feeling more rested afterwards. In addition, this was accompanied by positive effects on their memory.

  If such a bed is available for sale, it will perform the same function as head-mounted devices.

  Perro is particularly interested in whether she will help the elderly. As we age, the amount of time we spend in non-REM sleep decreases, and memory problems may be associated with this.

  Perrault hopes that the gently rocking bed will help counter this.

  Sleep anyway

  While such studies are at the very beginning of their journey, they are nevertheless promising. Perrault and Bourne are optimistic about the potential of commercial products that use sound pulses for health purposes.

  Perrault stresses that more research is needed on the effectiveness of such methods – and no longer in the laboratory. “It’s great that they keep trying to use external stimulation – we know it works,” says Perrault.

  Image copyright, Getty Images

  Image caption,

  Some research has found that long-known environmental stimuli, like bed rocking, can help adults sleep better too

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  Will these techniques have long-term effects? We know that chronic sleep deprivation increases the risk of developing diabetes and even Alzheimer’s syndrome. Can artificially optimized sleep reduce these risks?

  For now, the only way to ensure you get all the benefits of healthy sleep (both in the short and long term) is to make sure you get enough sleep each night.

  Whether or not to test the devices described here is up to you. But you should definitely try going to bed early more often, not drinking alcohol and caffeine before bed, and not browsing social media and your favorite Internet sites for too long while lying in bed. All this harms the quality of sleep.

  Our brain cannot function properly without the recharge that sleep provides. And it would be better for us not to oversleep the moment when it will be too late to fix something.

  —

  Read the original English version of this article at BBC Worklife .

  Sleep phases: what they are, what they affect and how to get enough sleep

  . Doctors say

  Updated September 12, 2022, 14:44

  shutterstock

  Human sleep is cyclical and consists of phases. Each of them is responsible for certain functions – from the development of cognitive skills to general health. When the body has gone through all the phases in a dream, in the morning we feel cheerfulness and a surge of strength. Lack or disturbance of sleep, on the contrary, worsens well-being, affects memory and the ability to think clearly, and chronic sleep deprivation is fraught with serious neurological disorders. We understand what sleep hygiene is and in which phase it is better to wake up in order to feel good.

  Contents

  1. What is sleep phase
  2. What are
  3. How to get enough sleep: the rules
  4. How to control

  What is sleep phase

  shutterstock

  In sleep, a person restores the balance between the neuronal centers of the brain

  The sleep phase is one of the stages in the sleep cycle, characterized by certain activity of brain neurons, changes in muscle tone and eye movements. During the night, a person sequentially goes through two phases – fast (REM) and slow (NREM), which, in turn, consists of three stages. Phases and stages follow each other, forming a cycle of up to about 110 minutes each.

  The sequence of these stages in healthy people is the same, but the quality and duration are different. This is due to many factors: age, gender, bad habits, stress levels, medications and diseases, including provoking frequent awakenings – sleep apnea or restless leg syndrome (RLS).

  Vladislav SinitsynPhD, neurologist “SM-Clinic” in Ivanovo

  “The physiology of sleep is not fully understood. It is a dynamic process that affects almost every system in the body, from the brain to metabolism and immunity. Among the main mechanisms that determine sleep, the following are distinguished.

  • Circadian rhythms. This is just one of the varieties of biorhythms that, in the context of sleep, determine the mode of wakefulness and night rest. The periods of the circadian rhythm can vary significantly from person to person. Some go to bed early and get enough sleep early in the morning, others go late and cannot get up early. Correction of the biological clock is carried out in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the anterior lobe of the hypothalamus, which is located above the optic chiasm of the brain. For example, some people with CCN damage sleep erratically during the day because they cannot match their circadian rhythms to the light-dark cycle [1].
  • ** Melatonin ** – sleep hormone. Its concentration gradually increases with the onset of twilight, reaching a maximum by four or five in the morning. Then its level slowly decreases, and the person wakes up. Even dim lighting at first glance can delay the synthesis of melatonin and thus disrupt sleep.
  • Autonomic nervous system (ANS). When the sympathetic component of the ANS predominates, the metabolism is accelerated, falling asleep is difficult, and sleep is disturbed. The parasympathetic nervous system helps the body prepare for rest. In different people with different types of higher nervous activity, the ANS works differently.

  With age, sleep performance changes: its duration decreases, it becomes fragmented, and the slow phase is reduced. Thus, the sleep characteristic changes even if there are no health problems.

  Daytime sleep at any age is not equivalent to nighttime sleep. Melatonin is produced only at night, during the day our body has a higher temperature, which also affects sleep. In addition, it can exacerbate health problems, as the body does not fully implement the recovery program.

  What are the phases of sleep

  shutterstock

  Phases and stages of sleep alternate in a certain sequence

  First comes the slow phase, followed by a shorter period of the fast phase. Then everything is repeated, a total of four to six times a night. The slow phase consists of three stages, which are replaced in turn, and one of them, the second, is repeated twice. A typical sequence of stages and phases looks like this: N1, N2, N3, N2, REM [2].

  Stages of non-REM sleep

  • N1 is the shortest period of falling asleep, which lasts from one to five minutes. The body is not yet completely relaxed, while the heartbeat and breathing begin to slow down. It’s easy to wake someone up.
  • N2 – a person spends almost half of his sleep in it. It is characterized by a slowing of breathing, a decrease in body temperature and a complete cessation of eye movements. At this stage, the brain is most actively processing memories, translating them into long-term memory. This is how we remember what we have learned.
  • N3 – during this period, the main rest and recovery of the body occurs, including the strengthening of immunity and other functions [3]. Stage N3 is the stage of deep sleep, so waking up a person going through this phase is the most difficult.

  Vladislav Sinitsin:

  “If you interrupt your sleep in the slow phase, then, in addition to worsening your general well-being, your concentration will be disturbed, irritability will appear, and your working capacity will decrease. ”

  REM sleep

  The first time it occurs not earlier than an hour and a half after the person fell asleep. With each new cycle, its duration increases. In total, REM sleep takes up 25-30% of the time. It is in the fast phase that a person sees dreams and develops key cognitive skills, such as learning or creativity [4]. On the advice of experts, it is impossible to artificially shorten the fast phase, since the body is preparing for awakening and vigorous activity, the connection between consciousness and physiological processes in the brain is turned on.

  How to get enough sleep by sleep phases: rules

  shutterstock

  Changing the basic characteristics of sleep phases can affect thinking, mood and overall health

  We cannot fully control our sleep cycles, but there are steps we can take to improve the quality of our sleep. Sleep Hygiene is a set of simple rules that will help you fall asleep and sleep better.

  Lada OleksenkoExpert of the Children-Butterflies Foundation, psychiatrist, State Budgetary Healthcare Institution of the Moscow Region “LCCH”

  “It is worth adhering to the following recommendations.

  • Melatonin, which is produced only in complete darkness, is responsible for the quality of sleep. There should not be any light sources in the bedroom – a night lamp, light from a lantern in the window, a TV turned on, etc.
  • The body prepares for sleep gradually, so in the evening you need to reduce physical activity and limit the use of gadgets to calm the nervous system.
  • It is desirable to go to bed and get up at the same time, even on weekends and holidays. This is the key to healthy sleep in accordance with biological rhythms.
  • Ventilate the room. The optimum temperature in the room is +18 °C.
  • It makes sense to abstain from alcohol and smoking before going to bed. The latter, according to doctors, is a sure way to insomnia. Caffeine also impairs falling asleep and interferes with deep sleep.
  • Watch the bed. Use comfortable mattress, blanket, pillows and bedding. Change them regularly, avoid synthetic materials.”

  How to control sleep phases

  Vladislav Sinitsyn:

  “Today, there are technologies that help determine what phase of sleep a person is in, as well as identify its quality.