Each stage has a particular function, with one of them being the best to wake up during.
What are the four stages of sleep?
Stage 1
InStage 1, you slowly begin to drift off.
You might feel like you’re falling at some point during this stage and suddenly jerking back awake.
Your heart and breath rate begin to slow down as you settle into rest.
Your body temperature also drops.
Stage 1 and Stage 2 sleep are sometimes called “core sleep.”
Deep sleep promotes muscle and tissue growth, along with cell repair.
This stage is also sometimes known as delta sleep, as delta brain waves occur.
If you wake up during deep sleep, you’ll likely experiencesleep inertia or grogginess.
Stage 4 (REM sleep)
Lastly, we haveREM, or rapid eye movement sleep.
This is this stage in which most dreams occur, memories are consolidated, and our brains recharge.
So,how much REM do you need?
People average about four to five REM cycles a night.
Interestingly, we spend less time in REM sleep the older we get.
What’s the best stage to wake up during?
It’s important to note that the stages don’t occur in order.
This takes about 90 minutes.
After REM sleep, we go back to Stage 2 again to repeat the cycle.
Regular exercise and a balanced diet that’s low in caffeine and alcohol can help promote good sleep hygiene.
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