My second essay's first draft

Khiem Huynh

00909909

2/7/2012

Sleeping Stages

Sleeping, which refreshes you mentally and physically, is really important. To know more about sleeping, lots of scientists and many groups of people have studied this simple activity to understand more about our needed action. Basically, sleeping has two primary phases: NREM (Non-rapid eye movement) and REM (Rapid eye movement).

In NREM phase, there are actually three stages. Most of your sleeping occurs in this phase. Before getting into deep sleep, people have to go through the first stage, during which light sleep occurs. People can be woken up easily in this stage by things such as sudden actions with loud noises or unexpected temperature drops. Throughout this period some muscles are uncontrollable. Some males or females have experienced this type of action before, during which they may accidentally raise their hands or kick their legs up. I usually kick my left leg up before I get into the second stage.

Fifty percent of your sleeping time is in this second stage. During this term, your eyes stop moving around. Your heart rate and breathing are maintained as normal, but your body temperature slowly drops down. One article explains, “You become disengaged to your surroundings” (Mark Stibich, 2009). People suggest setting your room temperature before you get into this stage. In my opinion, setting the temperature about twenty degrees Celsius or sixty nine degrees Fahrenheit is the best for your sleep. Of course, you also can adjust the temperature a little bit higher or lower to fit in your conditions. The more comfortable the temperature is, the more you get into deeper sleep.

In the final stage of NREM sleep, you are no longer in the light sleep stage. People will have some trouble waking you up during this period of time. Unlike in the second stage, your blood pressure drops and you breathe slowly. Even your muscles get less tense and are more likely to relax. Most of your energy that you wasted during the day will be restored in this stage. Your hormones are released to help your development. You may feel confused and irritated for a few minutes if someone wakes you up during your deep sleep. People will feel rejuvenated and refreshed the next day if they have a good deep sleep.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, the REM phase “first occurs about 90 minutes after falling asleep and recurs about every 90 minutes, getting longer later in the night” (n.d.). You may also dream in this phase, which is why I call this "Dreaming Phase”. My mom told me that people have colored dreams are more artistic and more likely to involved in artistic work. Also, in this period of time your eyes move and your muscles become motionless. REM phase provides energy to your body and brain.

Finally, sleeping is very important because it is an action that takes place every day in our life. To understand the critical factors of how each sleeping period affects the body, people should know more about the stages of sleeping. Not just to understand the process of sleeping, you should read more facts to help you have better sleep habits.

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References

Stibich, Mark. "The Stages of Sleep - Sleep Cycles – Sleeps Phases." Longevity, Anti-Aging, and You -        ​Advice for a Long, Healthy Life. The New York Times Company, 24 Jan. 2009. Web. 05 Feb.​2012. <http://longevity.about.com/od/sleep/a/sleep_stages.htm>.

"What Happens When You Sleep?" National Sleep Foundation. n.d. Web. 05 Feb. 2012.      ​            ​            ​<http://www.sleepfoundation.org/article/how-sleep-works/what-happens-when-you-sleep>.