All people are different. So, one person will not wake up if you talk loudly next to him, vacuum or turn on music, while the second goes into a state of wakefulness after the floor has creaked. Light sleep is a state of a person in which he is able to wake up quickly, being very irritated at the same time. For many people and their close relatives with whom they live in the same apartment, this phenomenon becomes a real problem.
Phases of human sleep by time: table
When a person sleeps, he is constantly in one of the stages of sleep. There are two of them: fast and slow. Each phase has its own characteristics, which are shown in the table.
| Slow sleep | Rapid sleep |
| The first stage: a state of sleep in which new ideas and interesting thoughts can unconsciously arise in the subconscious of a person. He naps rather than sleeps. In this state, a person is from 5 to 10 minutes. |
REM sleep is the fifth stage of sleep. During this period, the state of a sleeping person is as active as possible. But despite this, he is in one position, since his muscles are paralyzed. The subconscious of a person works very well, so heremembers all the dreams he had during the fourth stage. That is why, if you wake him up during the fast phase, he will tell you all the dreams in vivid and colorful detail. At this stage, it is difficult to wake up. If you want to wake a person who is in REM sleep, it will be difficult for you to do this, much more difficult than if he was in the fourth phase. In addition, during such a period, a sharp transition to a vigorous state can disrupt the psyche. About 1 hour is necessary for a person to sleep REM. |
| Second stage: a person's consciousness is completely turned off, he plunges into a full sleep. But during this phase auditory analyzers become sharper. Therefore, during this period, the mother can wake up if a small child moves in bed, and any person opens his eyes when his name is pronounced next to him. 20 minutes is the average duration of this phase. | |
| The third stage is a deeper second phase of sleep. | |
| The fourth stage is characterized by the deepest sleep. It is difficult to wake a person, he sees vivid dreams or may suffer from sleepwalking. As a rule, he does not remember any of this, passing into the state of wakefulness. The third and fourth stages last approximately 45 minutes. |
When a person goes through all these stages, he completes the first cycle. For a good rest, you need to oversleep five such cycles.
Sleep must be consistent. Ideally, a person should go through each of these stages. That is why everythingDoctors around the world insist that the ideal duration of sleep is 8 hours. Do not neglect this rule to maintain mental he alth. The phases of a person’s sleep by time, the table describing which is presented above, are needed for the most productive state throughout the day. What to do if a person wakes up from the slightest noise and therefore cannot go through each stage, professional doctors know.
Reason for light sleep
Light sleep time can be beneficial for a person, for example, if he wants to take a light nap, without sinking into a completely unconscious state. But if such a phenomenon occurs constantly, then the normal functioning of all body systems is out of the question. A person sleeps, but does not get enough sleep, does not go through all the stages of sleep in order to fully rest.
The causes of shallow sleep are different. You have nothing to worry about if one of these factors applies to you:
- You recently became a mother. In this case, light sleep is caused by your body at a physiological level so that you can constantly monitor the state in which the newborn baby is.
- Your body is experiencing hormonal fluctuations. This applies to pregnant women and girls during menstruation.
- Your work is on the night shift. In this case, the body adapts to your schedule;
- You are experiencing psychological stress. This may be due to both stress at work and waking up inearlier, unusual for you, time.
- If you sleep 10 hours instead of the prescribed 8 hours and this becomes a habit, then sleep will become longer, but of less quality.
- If you are over 50 years old, then light sleep can become your constant companion.
All these causes are either natural or easily eliminated, so if one of them concerns you, do not worry, your he alth is safe. But it happens that the factors that caused a short sleep mean that disturbances have occurred in the body. These reasons include:
- Depression and neuroses. Mental problems can destroy the ability of the subconscious mind to go into a state of sleep.
- Somatic illnesses need to be treated as they can cause sleep disturbances.
- Incorrect use of pharmaceutical drugs or alcohol abuse leads to sleep disturbances. A person who has drunk alcohol falls asleep quickly, but this dream is sensitive and superficial.
These factors should be avoided, so try to avoid such manifestations.
What to do if you suffer from light sleep
What does light sleep mean for the body, almost everyone knows. But do not confuse this concept with insomnia. If you create ideal conditions, then a person will wake up rested in the case of light sleep. If you can’t sleep in complete silence and darkness, then you are dealing with insomnia.
If light sleep has been bothering you for as long as you can remember, you should seekconsultation with a doctor. If this phenomenon has recently appeared in your life, then you can try to overcome it yourself.
Tips for dealing with light sleep on your own
If you want to learn how to deal with light sleep, take a look at the list of helpful tips and tricks:
- Create the most favorable conditions in the room. To do this, turn off the lights, make sure that the room is quiet, and that you are not too cold or too hot.
- Place clean bedding that won't distract you with too much odor.
- Take a relaxing bath or massage before bed.
- Don't drink caffeinated drinks.
- Make sure you get enough time to exercise.
- Avoid stress at work and at home.
If these measures do not help you, you should take more serious measures.
Radical measures in the fight against sensitive sleep
If no methods help you and you wake up due to any extraneous factor, even the most insignificant one, try the following methods:
- Get a sound generator that can produce white noise. According to psychologists, this sound can not only help a person fall asleep, but also contribute to a sounder sleep. As a result, you will wake up refreshed.
- Melatonin is a medicine recommended for the elderlypeople who have sleep problems. It contributes to a deeper, longer and more complete rest.
- If the above methods were useless, try to seek the advice of a psychotherapist. A professional doctor will quickly determine what the problem is and help fix it.
And remember, if you have insomnia, then going to a somnologist is a must.
Baby sleep problems
If light sleep concerns a small child, it is worth taking measures so that the baby sleeps more deeply. But this is normal for babies, but for older children, insufficient rest is fraught with bad consequences.
Do not teach your baby to sleep in absolute silence so that he does not react too aggressively to extraneous noise. In addition, if you are not opposed to joint rest, then go to bed with the child together. Babies usually feel much better with their mothers.
How to deal with short sleep in a child from 2 years old
Children over 2 years of age may also suffer from sleep problems. Try the following measures:
- Check that your child is well and has no discomfort in their bed.
- Make sure your child follows the daily routine. If he eats, studies, plays at the same time, then he will fall asleep faster.
- White noise is much more effective on children than adults. Use it and your baby will rest better.
Importantso that all these methods are performed in combination, then you will see the result very quickly.
How to learn light sleep
The ability to fall asleep for a short time is not always what people want to get rid of. Sometimes there is a need for a quick rest during the day, for example, if there is a lot to do, but there is no strength left. During a short sleep, a person is charged with a large amount of energy and is ready to work further. Here are the basic rules for such a holiday:
- From 15 to 26 minutes rest should last. After it, you will wake up refreshed.
- This technique requires practice.
- Go to bed at the same time.
- Don't use modern gadgets before going to bed.
If you are ready to follow these rules, you can start mastering the technique. Regular exercise will lead you to success.
Learning light sleep
To fall asleep, follow the instructions:
- Set your alarm and lie down in a comfortable position.
- Concentrate on calming down and turning off all mental processes.
- Your brain will recognize that it needs to sleep and begin to drift into unconsciousness.
Don't expect the result to please you the first time. It usually takes at least 10 workouts to fall asleep quickly. But after you develop this habit, you can easily give yourself a quick rest every day.
What should be the awakening after REM sleep
Afterlight sleep should wake up like this:
- Get out of bed as soon as you open your eyes.
- After waking up, it is forbidden to fall asleep again.
- Eat a snack, it will help you wake up more quickly.
- If possible, go for a quick walk.
You may not get this awakening the first few times, but don't get discouraged. Do not give up training, although they may seem difficult to you, then very soon you will be able to arrange a good rest for yourself at any time without falling out of the usual rhythm of life for an indefinite period.
The human sleep-wake cycle
Even if a person slept through all the necessary phases, he may feel tired. The sleep-wake cycle is not only related to our he alth, but also to biological environmental factors. Body temperature drops at night, which is why we need to rest. If you get a good night's sleep, your performance will still drop when you work the night shift, because the temperature regime will not change.
During the experiment, scientists found out that such rhythms always work, even if a person is deprived of the opportunity to observe the change of day and night. Therefore, try to get enough sleep at night so that during the day your productivity increases to the maximum level. If this is not possible due to your work schedule, then try to master the light sleep technique and use it throughout the night.
