


There are numerous factors that can have an impact on the length and quality of the sleep cycle and the amount of time people spend in each stage. In the final cycle of sleep, REM can last up to 1 hour. REM sleep lasts for approximately 10 minutes during the first sleep cycle, increasing in length as the night progresses.

This condition is known as REM sleep behavior disorder. Rarely, the loss of muscle tone usually associated with REM sleep may not occur. During this time, most people experience muscle atonia, or temporary muscle paralysis, which occurs naturally during REM sleep and prevents a person from acting out their dreams. REM is the sleep stage most associated with dreaming, although dreaming can also occur in other stages. Other vital signs, such as blood pressure and heart rate, become less regular. During this stage, the eyes move quickly and rapidly from side to side.ĭuring REM sleep, breathing quickens and becomes more erratic. The term “REM” refers to a person’s eye movements. The last stage of the sleep cycle is REM sleep. The overall percentage of deep sleep tends to decrease with age. If a person wakes during deep sleep, they may feel mentally foggy for around 30–60 minutes.

This is the stage people typically find most difficult to wake from. With each sleep cycle, the amount of deep sleep decreases. During this stage, heart rate, breathing, and brain waves become regular.Ī person will experience the most deep sleep during the first half of the night. Stage 3 non-REM sleep is the deepest stage of sleep and the hardest to awaken from. Overall, it accounts for more than 50% of sleep in adults. This is a period of deeper non-REM sleep, where the muscles relax further, eye movements stop, and body temperature drops.ĭuring the first sleep cycle of the night, this stage lasts for around 25 minutes, lengthening with each new sleep cycle. This stage is short and lasts for around 1–5 minutes. The muscles also relax, although they may twitch occasionally. It is a period of light non-REM sleep that slows down a person’s heart rate, breathing, eye movements, and brain waves. Stage one begins when a person shifts from wakefulness to sleep. Below, we list the four stages of the sleep cycle.
