5 Stages of Sleep


sleepStage 1: Light sleep; easily awakened; muscle activity; eye movements slow down.

Stage 2: Eye movements stop; slower brain waves, with occasional bursts of rapid brain waves.

Stage 3: Considered deep sleep; difficult to awaken; brain waves slow down more, but still have occasional rapid waves.

Stage 4: Considered deep sleep; difficult to awaken; extremely slow brain waves.

Stage 5: REM sleep

Usually first occurs about 90 minutes after you fall asleep; cycles along with the non-REM stages throughout the night. Eyes move rapidly, with eyelids closed. Breathing is more rapid, irregular, and shallow. Heart rate and blood pressure increase. Dreaming occurs. Arm and leg muscles are temporarily paralyzed.


National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Your Guide to Healthy Sleep. www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/sleep/healthy_sleep.pdf. (Accessed March 2011).


Last Modified Date: February 28, 2014


More on this Topic

No items are associated with this tag

Sign up for FREE dLife Newsletters


You are subscribed!
You are subscribed!
You are subscribed!
2004 Views 0 comments
by Brenda Bell
  • Watch dLifeTV online now!

    Click here for more info