When you sleep, your brain goes through a cycle that consists of four distinct stages. If sleep apnea is causing you to wake up frequently during the night, then this cycle will constantly be interrupted – and the quality of your slumber will suffer as a result. To fully understand the importance of a good night’s rest, it’s recommended that you become familiar with the different stages of sleep as well as what can happen when you don’t spend enough time in each one.
What are the Stages of Sleep?
Ideally, your body should go through each stage of sleep multiple times throughout the night. Here’s what happens during each stage:
- Stage 1: This is the lightest stage of sleep, and it normally only lasts a few minutes. Your body isn’t fully relaxed by this point, so it generally wouldn’t be too difficult for someone else to wake you up.
- Stage 2: Your brain will start producing a new pattern (sometimes known as sleep spindles). Your body temperature will drop, and your breathing will slow down. During your first sleep cycle, this stage will typically last between 10 and 25 minutes; it will become longer with each cycle.
- Stage 3: At this point, your body has entered deep sleep, meaning you won’t be awakened as easily. This stage is thought to be crucial for helping the body heal and keeping your immune system healthy. During your initial sleep cycles, this stage will last for about 20 to 40 minutes, but it will grow shorter throughout the night.
- Stage 4: This stage is also referred to as REM sleep, with REM being short for “rapid eye movement.” REM sleep is crucial for a number of cognitive functions; for example, it’s the stage when information learned during the day is consolidated in your memories. It generally takes around 90 minutes for your body to first enter REM sleep.
What Happens If Sleep Apnea Interrupts the Sleep Cycle?
When you wake up and then fall asleep again, your body restarts the sleep cycle from the beginning. Consequently, if a disorder like sleep apnea is causing frequent awakenings, you’ll spend little (if any) time in stages 3 and 4 of the cycle, which can have a negative impact on your body and mind. The problem will only grow more severe the longer you go without quality sleep.
If you feel unusually drowsy during the day, it could mean that sleep apnea is interfering with your ability to get a full night’s rest. Talk to a sleep dentist to see what steps you can take to have a possible sleep disorder diagnosed and treated so that you can once again enjoy a healthy sleep cycle.
About the Author
Dr. Kathy French has more than 35 years of dental experience. She is a Diplomate of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine as well as a member of the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine. She can treat sleep apnea with a comfortable, personalized oral appliance instead of a noisy CPAP machine. To schedule a consultation with Dr. French at Hamilton Lakes Dentistry in Itasca, visit her website or call (630) 394-5567.