There’s more to sleep than just your brain and body turning themselves “off” for the night. The sleep cycle consists of several different stages, and you need to go through each one to get the full benefits of your rest. That’s why sleep apnea in Reno can be a severe disorder: it prevents you from completing this cycle. Learn more about the different stages of sleep – and why not completing them could lead to serious consequences.
Light Sleep (Stages 1 and 2)
The first stage of sleep, where eye movements start to slow down, only lasts a few minutes. Your body will still be fairly alert, so a sudden loud noise or another outside stimuli could wake you up without much trouble. The second stage lasts much longer; in fact, it can easily last for half of the sleep cycle. The brain starts producing unique waves known as sleep spindles, which some researchers believe help protect your body from waking up too early. That said, stage 2 is still considered light sleep, during which you can be awakened relatively easily.
Deep Sleep (Stage 3)
The third stage of the cycle is called “deep sleep” because you’re much less likely to be awakened at this point. During deep sleep, the body can focus on healing the damage that your muscles and other tissues sustained during the day. Other benefits of this stage include the production of cytokines (a group of proteins that enhance the immune system) and replenishing energy to your cells. Deep sleep is particularly important for children and teenagers who are still growing and developing.
REM Sleep (Stage 4)
Eventually, you reach the fourth and final stage called REM (rapid-eye movement) sleep. At this point, your eyes jerk in various directions, your heart rate and blood pressure increase, and your breathing becomes somewhat irregular and shallow. REM sleep is also when the most dreaming occurs. This stage is important for memory and learning because it’s the point where the brain can consolidate the new information it learned during the previous day.
The Importance of Completing the Sleep Cycle
You will normally complete the sleep cycle multiple times during the night, allowing you to reap the full benefits of deep sleep and REM sleep. However, if you have sleep apnea or another disorder that frequently interrupts your slumber, you may not even reach these later stages, which over time can have a debilitating effect on your physical and mental health.
If you think you’re getting a full 7 to 9 hours of sleep but still feel drowsy throughout the day, you should talk to a professional to have a sleep study done. In the event that you’re diagnosed with sleep apnea, you can ask your dentist about oral appliance therapy or other CPAP alternatives in Reno. It’s important to have the condition treated quickly so that you can start enjoying sweet dreams again – and the health benefits that come with them!
About the Practice
At Summit Boulevard Dental, our experts do everything they can to make sure you stay as comfortable as possible while we’re keeping your smile healthy and beautiful. In addition to preventive and restorative dentistry, we also help patients suffering from sleep apnea or snoring by using oral appliance therapy. To schedule an appointment, visit our website or call (775) 683-3008.