It takes a lot of energy to make it through each day in our crazy, hectic
world. The pace of life seems to be increasing ever year. When you add the
chaos of recent events like the pandemic and the current economic uncertainty
to the mix, it’s quite understandable that people feel drained by the end of
the day. For most of us, our days are filled with never-ending work deadlines
and a stack of projects and emails that never seem to decrease.
When you stop and think about it, the only time in life when you really
get a break from things is when you sleep. Our nightly slumber is a time for
our bodies to refresh, recharge and recuperate from the daunting assault of
everyday life. We spend around a third of our life sleeping, so it’s important
to make that time as restful as it can be. By understanding the different
stages of sleep, we can try to maximize our sleep experience and gain more
energy in life.
The First Stages of Sleep
As you begin to gently head into sleep, you’ll find that your breathing
and your heartbeat begin to slow down. Your body is letting go of the cares of
the day, and your muscles can begin to relax. The early stage of light sleep,
or NREM (Non Rapid Eye Movement) 2 is also characterized by a drop in body
temperature and no eye movements are seen.
One of the best things you can do to help your body enter blissful sleep
is to enjoy the comfort of pure wool, Australian
doona. With the right quilt, you
can create the perfect temperature for your night of slumber.
The Intermediate Stages of Sleep
When you start to drift deeper into dreamland, your body begins to enter
the deepest sleep states. Your breathing and heart rate slide into their
slowest rate and no eye movements are seen (NREM). During this time your brain
enters delta wave levels.
This is a critical time, as your body works on cell regeneration and
repairs tissues as needed. It also works to strengthen your immune system. When
you are nestled in a luxurious Australian
Doona, you can help assure that you
reach this deep, restful stage of sleep.
The REM Stage of Sleep
The Rapid Eye Movement, or REM, stage of sleep is when we do most of our
dreaming. Our heart rate and breathing begins to increase, and activity in our
brain picks up too.
Interestingly, during this time the muscles in our limbs become temporarily paralyzed, as they enter a state of being completely relaxed.
