Types of Sleep

Non-REM Sleep

Stage 1:
Light sleep; easily awakened; muscles relax with occasional twitches; eye movements are slow.
Stage 2:
Eye movements stop; slower brain waves, with occasional bursts of rapid brain waves.
Stage 3:
Occurs soon after you fall asleep and mostly in the first half of the night. Deep sleep; difficult to awaken; large slow brain waves, heart and respiratory rates are slow and muscles are relaxed.

REM Sleep

* Usually first occurs about 90 minutes after you fall asleep, and longer, deeper periods occur during the second half of the night; cycles along with the non-REM stages throughout the night.
* Eyes move rapidly behind closed eyelids.
* Breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure are irregular.
* Dreaming occurs.
* Arm and leg muscles are temporarily paralyzed.
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