Eight Versus Six Hours: Sleep Cycle (Part One)

Sleep is an extremely complex, but necessary process that allows our body to rest and take on new challenges every day. Though sometimes, we can feel like the days we get less sleep we feel more alert and ready compared to the times we get a full night’s rest! In this first part, we will begin to go over this paradoxical situation and our sleep cycles.

It is first important to understand how our sleep cycle’s function. A full cycle lasts between 90 to 110 minutes on average, and it is comprised of REM (rapid eye movement) sleep and non-REM sleep. REM sleep is where “deep sleep” is typically categorized and where dreams occur. A full nights sleep consists of multiple of these cycles on non-REM sleep to REM sleep and back to non-REM sleep.

The effects of not going through enough full cycles, or sleep deprivation, can be extremely detrimental. Chronic sleep deprivation is shown to lead to declined cognitive function, a loss in memory retention, as well as mood swings and weakening the immune system. In the big picture, it is always important to prioritize getting a full night’s rest every night you can, despite how you may feel from one day to another.

We hope you found this first part on how our sleep cycles function and how you can use that to your advantage! At Fox Mattress, we craft all our mattresses right here in the USA, so you know you have a premium mattress to sleep on. Give us a call or visit our Holly Hills location to learn more about our premium offerings today!