Waking and sleeping

Waking and sleeping are two physiological states of human activity that are caused by the activity of certain brain centers, in particular, the hypothalamus and subthalamus, as well as the zones of the blue spot and the core of the suture located in the upper part of the brain stem. Both these periods are cyclical in their structure and are subordinated to the daily rhythms of the human body.

Rhythm of the internal clock

The mechanisms of wakefulness and sleep are still being studied and there are at least several theories of how our internal clock works. Being in a state of wakefulness, we consciously react to any stimuli, fully aware of our connection with the outside world, our brain activity is in an active phase and almost all processes of vital activity that take place in our body are aimed at absorbing and rationally spending energy resources from the outside in the form of water and food. In general, the psychophysiology of sleep and wakefulness is caused by the regulation of various systemic structures of the brain, which, in particular, contributes to the accumulation of the information obtained when we are in a state of activity and more detailed its assimilation and distribution to the memory departments during sleep.

Five steps of sleep

The state of sleep is characterized by a lack of activity directed to the outside world and conditionally divided into five stages, each of which lasts approximately 90 minutes.

1. The first two of these are stages of light or shallow sleep, during which the breathing and heart rate slow down, however, during this period we can wake up even from the slightest touch.
2. Then comes the third and fourth phases of deep sleep, during which there is an even slower heartbeat and a complete lack of response to external stimuli. Wake up a person who is in the stage of deep sleep is much more difficult.
3. The fifth and last phase of sleep in medicine is called REM (Rapid Eye Movement - or rapid eye movement). At this stage of sleep, breathing and palpitation increase, eyeballs move under closed eyelids and all this happens under the influence of dreams that a person sees. Specialists in the field of somnology and neurology argue that dreams are absolutely everyone, just not all people remember them.

At the moment of falling asleep, and also after the end of the deep phase of sleep, we enter the so-called border state between sleep and wakefulness. During this period, the connection between consciousness and the surrounding reality, in principle, but in full we do not associate ourselves with it.

Sleep and wakefulness disorders can be caused by various psycho-physiological factors, such as an uneven schedule of shift work, stress , changing time belts for air travel, etc. But the causes of the stray rhythm activity - rest can also be covered in certain diseases, in particular narcolepsy or hypersomnia. In any case, with any more or less expressed violations of the cyclic state of wakefulness and sleep, it is advisable to consult with a specialist.