Understand How Your Sleep Cycle Works, a Trend That’s Going Viral on Social Media

The sleep cycle lasts an average of 90 minutes and can determine the right time to sleep and wake up, improving your night’s rest.

Brazil is one of the countries with the most sleep problems in the world. According to studies by the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), 72% of Brazilians suffer from some disorder, including insomnia. One of the reasons for many problems sleeping at night, and especially for the difficulty waking up in the morning, is the interruption of the sleep cycle.

What is the sleep cycle?

The sleep cycle is divided into two major groups: NREM (rapid eye movement) sleep and REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. Each complete cycle lasts about 90 to 100 minutes, so it is repeated four to six times a night.

NREM sleep is essential for recovering physical energy, as it is where deep rest and less neural activity occur. It occurs first and has four stages:

• 1st phase: drowsiness phase, transition from wakefulness to sleep, in which the person can easily wake up. Despite this, a reduction in muscle tone is already noticeable and the body now releases melatonin, the hormone responsible for regulating sleep;
• 2nd phase: sleep becomes deeper and deeper, making it more difficult for the person to wake up. In addition, cardiac activity decreases, muscles relax and body temperature decreases;
• 3rd phase: together with stage 4 it forms the sleep period known as Delta, with deeper sleep. Here the muscle tone progressively decreases;
• 4th phase: quite similar to the previous phase, but it is the deepest phase of sleep. There are peaks in the release of GH (growth hormone) and leptin (hormone that controls appetite). In addition, the body also begins to release cortisol until its peak in the early morning hours.

After being in REM sleep, the body returns to stage 1. It then repeats all the stages until it returns to REM sleep again. The cycle repeats throughout the night, with the time in REM sleep increasing with each repetition.

How to calculate your sleep cycle

Gabi Brandt recently posted that she uses an app to calculate her sleep cycle. The tool tells her what time she should go to bed, thinking about the time she intends to wake up, to get the best rest. Internet users took the opportunity to say they use ChatGPT to do the same calculation.

Considering that the sleep cycle lasts 90 minutes, that is 1 hour and a half, it is advisable to calculate the hours of rest so that no cycle is interrupted.

So, if you plan to wake up at 6:00, for example, you should go to bed at 10:30 PM for 7.5 hours of sleep, or at 9:00 PM for 9 hours of sleep. This calculation takes into account restorative sleep, which includes 5 or 6 complete cycles.

More tips for sleeping better

In addition to respecting the sleep cycle, other attitudes can contribute to improving night rest. In this sense, nutritionist Carol Tavares gives some particular advice:

• Reduce the brightness of the room: Sleep quality is directly related to the biological clock, a set of reactions that occur in a 24-hour cycle, a factor that is extremely influenced by light or darkness. Therefore, the presence of light, even if it comes from a television, a lamp or an external light, can disturb the release of melatonin, damaging the quality of sleep.
• Try adding relaxation rituals before going to bed: The specialist recommends practices such as meditation, yoga, a relaxing bath and aromatherapy, which can help relax the body and mind for a good sleep.
• Maintain a diet that helps improve sleep quality: Nutrients such as tryptophan, niacin, vitamin B6, folic acid, magnesium help in the production of serotonin, a hormone that provides a feeling of well-being and relaxation, helping the body to relax. In addition, melatonin supplementation 1 hour before bed also helps improve sleep efficiency.
• Exercise regularly: Including at least 150 minutes or more of moderate to vigorous exercise per week increases the quality of sleep, as it leaves the brain more oxygenated, especially while we sleep, which improves its response to hormonal actions.
• Avoid consuming caffeine and sugary foods before going to bed: the habit increases the levels of cortisol in the body, reducing the production of melatonin.
• Don’t check email or work before going to bed: This can keep your mind connected to your tasks or problems for the next day, which will undoubtedly interfere with your good night’s sleep.

Source: Terra

Ben

Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.