Sleeping patterns are the biological rhythms that guide your sleep and wake cycles. Your body is programmed to go to bed at a certain time each night and wake up at certain intervals each morning according to an internal clock, so these times don’t always correspond.
Your sleep cycle consists of four distinct stages, each lasting a certain amount of time. As you drift off to sleep at night, these different sleep stages repeat multiple times throughout the night.
The initial period of your sleep cycle is non-rapid eye movement (NREM). In NREM sleep, your body relaxes and you slow down breathing and heart rate; additionally, you may begin to experience dreams.
After entering stage 2 sleep, your body enters a more subdued state known as stage 2. Here, brain activity slows down but still has occasional bursts of activity that help protect you from being woken up by external stimuli like noise or light.
These brief bursts of brain activity are essential for helping you wake up quickly and easily the following morning, as well as giving your mind time to catch up on any important work that was neglected during a previous night’s sleep.
Your REM sleep cycle is then followed by another period of NREM sleep, known as N3. This stage may last for a short period or be longer in duration than the preceding one. On average, N3 lasts around 20 to 40 minutes.
Your body may cycle between N3 and REM sleep several times throughout the course of a night. In general, more time is spent in REM sleep than deeper stages of N3 and N4.
Two factors influence your sleep pattern: age and recent sleeping habits. No matter what age you are, if you experience irregular or insufficient sleep for an extended period, these patterns may become permanently altered.
As you get older, your overall amount of sleep typically decreases. This is because it becomes harder to fall asleep at night and you tend to wake up more frequently during the night or early in the morning.
Fortunately, you can improve your sleep by following these tips:
Maintain a Consistent Schedule
It is essential to set an alarm and wake up at the same time every day, no matter the weather outside or other commitments you may have. Additionally, making sure you get enough exercise throughout your day will help your body know when it is time for rest.
Create Regular Bedtime Rituals
Before going to sleep, why not take a bath, read a book or listen to some music? Doing this helps signal your body that it’s time for bed. Additionally, avoid caffeine and alcohol before bed as these may disrupt your snooze time.
Eating a Healthy Diet
Your eating habits can have an impact on how well you sleep at night. Aim for a diet that is high in protein, complex carbohydrates and healthy fats; additionally, drink plenty of water and steer clear of foods high in sugar or salt.
