When you visit an osteopathic physician, you’ll receive treatment which takes into account all aspects of your health. This includes your sleep cycle, which is vital for the maintenance of your body and mind. To help you understand what your sleep cycle does for you, the staff at IMUA Orthopedics, Sports & Health in Honolulu, HI, offer a breakdown of the stages involved.

The 5 Stages of Sleep

Stage 1

This is a stage of light and sometimes fitful sleep, when you are most likely to be woken by the sensation of falling. During this initial stage of sleep, you breathe at a normal rate, but your body begins the process of slowing down eye and muscle activity before the deeper stages.

Stage 2

During this stage of sleep, your body sinks deeper into rest as your heart and metabolism slow. Your brain waves also get slower at this point, with occasional brief bursts of activity. It is somewhat more difficult to wake at this point.

Stage 3

Stages three and four are also called “slow wave sleep” or “delta sleep.” If you are prone to sleepwalking, sleep talking, or other parasomnias, this is when they happen. The older you get, the less time you’ll spend in stage 3—and thus, the less likely you are to experience these types of disturbances.

Stage 4

This is the deepest stage of sleep and is difficult to wake from. If you’re sleep deprived, your osteopathic physician will recommend you schedule long enough sleeping sessions to reach this stage of sleep, because it appears to be essential for both your health and mental performance optimization.

REM Sleep

REM stands for rapid eye movement, which is one of the main characteristics of this stage. During REM sleep, your muscles don’t move due to a state called atonia induced by your brain—but otherwise, your mind is working as if you were awake. This is the stage when you experience dreams.

Regular full sleep cycles are essential to your health and well-being. If you’re experiencing sleep difficulties or any other health problem, talk to an osteopathic physician at IMUA Orthopedics, Sports & Health in Honolulu, HI. Their focus on functional medicine is designed to improve all areas of your life by taking a full-body approach to health care. To make an appointment, call (808) 521-8170 or reach out online.