During our lives, we spend a third of our time sleeping. Sleep is therefore a central element of our daily life, to be taken into consideration in order to have a healthy lifestyle that meets our needs. The length of the sleep cycle varies throughout our lives depending on our age and living conditions. Let's now see in more detail what the ideal sleep cycle is to be in great shape.
Phases of the sleep cycle
The night is made up of different sleep cycles which last approximately 90 minutes, ranging from deep light sleep cycle to medium sleep cycle. To understand your sleep cycle , you need to know that it is divided into 5 phases. The first three correspond to “slow sleep ”, itself divided into 4 stages. We then find the phases of “ paradoxical sleep ” and finally the intermediate phase which completes your night. It is the internal clock sleep cycle that will determine the ideal time to know when to sleep and when to wake up .
Good to know: back problems cause restless sleep, it is better not to neglect this disruptive element and take it into account when choosing your mattress . A suitable mattress can relieve pressure points night after night...
The nap sleep cycle
The sleep cycle may be interrupted during the day by a nap period . Depending on its duration, it allows you to recover and have enough energy to last until the end of the day. In children up to the age of approximately 3 years, the nap sleep cycle is essential for their proper development. He can then take one or two naps during the day and thus get up to two hours of additional sleep. The sleep-to-nap cycle for adults is slightly different. In general, it is advisable not to exceed 15 to 30 minutes of nap time so that it is truly beneficial for the person.
The sleep cycle time
The sleep cycle in adults is perfectly organized and stable, even if it can be slightly disrupted by the worries of daily life. This can cause a shifted sleep cycle (this is also the case for people working night shifts, for example). The female or male sleep cycle reaches around 8 hours of sleep in total per night.
The sleep cycle according to Chinese medicine
The Chinese sleep cycle allows you to naturally reestablish your own biological rhythm through the process of “ circadian rhythm ”. This divides the 24-hour day into 12 2-hour intervals during which your life force moves through the organ system. The sleep cycle and organs allows you to naturally restore your body by following the Chinese sleep cycle.
The sleep cycle according to age
Sleep duration varies between people and the sleep cycle varies according to age . Sleep time per night tends to decrease with age. Indeed, while a baby needs 16 to 19 hours of sleep per day, the elderly are generally satisfied with 7 hours on average. The time it takes to fall asleep is also different depending on age as well as the minimum sleep duration depending on each person's rhythm and needs. Regardless, once the rhythm is found, it is important to maintain a certain regularity in sleep .
The baby's sleep cycle to that of the child
The baby's sleep cycle is initially very agitated. In fact, it is an irregular sleep cycle because it does not yet know the difference between day and night. The sleep-wake cycle occurs around 12 months with sleep which gradually becomes constant. The regulation of the sleep-wake cycle is a phenomenon that actually takes place during the first years of a child's life. The hormonal sleep cycle is an important element since sleeping regulates growth hormones but also cortisol. Night time allows your child and/or teenager to grow, memorize and perfect their nervous system .
The sleep cycle from adolescent to elderly
The sleep cycle in adolescents evolves with their lifestyle and they sleep less than children, around 8 hours per night. His deep sleep time is indeed less important. The adult sleep cycle is also around 8 hours but it varies depending on the daily hassles of work, for example, or personal life. Finally, the elderly person's sleep cycle tends to decrease during the night while the need for a nap appears again. There is an average of 7 hours of sleep per night for these people.
