REM Stage Sleep
And the 5 Stages of Sleep

Humans spend almost one third of their lives sleeping. Assuming the individual does not suffer from a sleep disorder that leads to sleeping deprivation they generally experience 5 stages of sleep each night. Stage 5 or REM stage sleep ( rapid eye movement ) is generally when the body is most active. It is interesting to note that during the rapid eye movement stage the individuals muscles are nearly paralyzed. It is assumed by medical professionals that this partial paralysis during the rapid eye movement stage protects the individual from harm.

Sleep studies and research show that the individual needs to pass through stages 1 through 4 in order to enter REM stage sleeping. In fact the individual may have slept through several episodes of REM sleep as well as slept through several episodes of the other sleep stages each night. Stage 1 can be as short as a few minutes and it is where you are drifting off.  Stage 2 is where the heart rate begins to slow and the body temperature drops. Stages 3 and 4 are characterized as the deep sleep stages. An individual awakened during these stages is generally very groggy and does not feel they have slept.

If an individual experiences sleep disorders and deprivation this process can be short circuited and they can experience shortened stages each night that lead to a lack of sleep and potential health problems if left untreated.

See Also: Narcolepsy Disorder Review

About The Author:
Andrew Thomas is a successful author and regular contributor to http://www.sleep-disorders-help.com.