{"id":32563,"date":"2025-02-25T19:10:36","date_gmt":"2025-02-25T19:10:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/life-wellness.eu\/everything-you-need-to-know-about-sleep-mechanisms-phases-and-cycles\/"},"modified":"2025-02-28T14:13:24","modified_gmt":"2025-02-28T14:13:24","slug":"everything-you-need-to-know-about-sleep-mechanisms-phases-and-cycles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filtrarte.com\/el\/everything-you-need-to-know-about-sleep-mechanisms-phases-and-cycles\/","title":{"rendered":"Everything You Need to Know About Sleep: Mechanisms, Phases and Cycles"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The<\/span> degree of<\/font><\/font> sleep quality<\/font><\/font><\/strong> dictates the degree of quality of life, since it conditions physical and mental health, with direct expression in the level of vitality. Sleeping too little or having \u2018bad\u2019 nights affects the so-called \u2018quality of life\u2019. <\/font><\/font>sleep health<\/font><\/font><\/strong>Sleep is a natural physiological process that is indispensable for good intellectual health and, consequently, for productivity, the good performance of the immune system, the maintenance of all rebalancing processes and the regeneration of our cells. <\/font><\/font> <\/p>\n\n

Knowing the <\/font><\/font>mechanisms of sleep<\/font><\/font><\/strong>by analysing information such as the circadian cycle and sleep pressure, we can take steps to improve the quality of our sleep. All of our body’s functions are cyclical. So sleep is also made up of <\/font><\/font>sleep cycles<\/font><\/font><\/strong> and each cycle is made up of phases. There are two main phases <\/font><\/font>of sleep: <\/font><\/font><\/strong>the deep phase, known as the non-REM phase, and the REM phase, a more superficial phase.<\/font><\/font><\/p>\n\n

What is Sleep?<\/h2>\n\n

Sleep<\/strong> is a natural physiological state and indispensable to life, it is a fundamental component of life and therefore of physical and mental health<\/strong>, without it we would die.<\/p>\n\n

The biological processes of sleep<\/strong> are regulated by sleep pressure and the circadian cycle. These are the phenomena that lead us to feel sleepy, fall asleep, stay asleep and, in the end, wake up. Neurotransmitters are the chemical mediators that act as commands to signal and activate the rhythms and phases of sleep and wakefulness. <\/p>\n\n

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The functions of sleep<\/strong> are numerous and all of them contribute to our homeostasis, i.e. the processes that guarantee internal balance. It is during sleep that cells, tissues and organic functions are rebalanced, repaired and regenerated. Therefore, getting enough sleep at the right time will strengthen the immune system, hormone regulation, cardiovascular balance, brain regeneration with cognitive repercussions (memory, concentration, decision-making, creativity, etc.) and the emotional response to daily challenges (greater serenity, tolerance, resilience, humour). <\/p>\n\n

It’s worth noting that during the growing years, growth hormone is secreted during sleep, particularly in the early hours of the evening. Therefore, children who sleep little and go to bed late will have their growth and robust physical and mental health jeopardised. <\/p>\n\n

The Mechanisms of Sleep<\/h2>\n\n

All of nature, all of life on this planet is governed by cycles that create rhythms. It is the guarantee of rhythms that allows life to be balanced and ecosystems to be conserved. We are nature and we are made up of a giant ecosystem of cells and these have rhythms and preserving them is vital. <\/p>\n\n

Our daily rhythm alternates between wakefulness and sleep. We are governed by the circadian cycle<\/strong> or rhythm<\/strong>, which is nothing more than an internal clock in which each organ and system has its own working and resting hours. <\/p>\n\n

The circadian rhythm<\/strong>, which indicates \u2018when\u2019 to sleep, is governed by solar time, and there is a synchronisation between the brightness of the day (light-dark) and our body’s internal time. In the case of sleep, over the course of the night, the production of specific neurotransmitters<\/strong> is induced which orchestrate the entire process from the onset of sleep to its maintenance and awakening. <\/p>\n\n

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The tiny pineal gland at the base of the brain is endowed with photosensitive cells, identical to those in the retina and capable of translating the light signals that enter through our eyes into chemical signals, which in this case are two neurotransmitters<\/strong> – melatonin<\/strong>, which induces sleep in response to darkness, and serotonin, which induces awakening in response to dawn. GABA, another neurotransmitter, promotes relaxation and preparation for sleep by reducing brain activity. <\/p>\n\n

Sleep Phases<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n

Sleep stages<\/strong> are distinct physiological stages that the body goes through during sleep. The two main stages are REM<\/strong> (Rapid Eye Movement<\/em>) sleep and Non-REM (NREM) sleep, which together form a sleep cycle made up of these two phases.<\/strong> <\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Non-REM sleep is the stage with the longest duration and is made up of three phases: <\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n