sleep

The natural state of rest for human and animals is sleep. Regular sleep is essential for survival. There are two broad types of sleep; rapid eye movement and non-rapid eye movement. The stages of sleep were defined in 1937 by Alfred L. Loomis who determined five stages of sleep from A through E. This covered the full range from deep sleep to wakefulness. This definition has been refined through time and is now ranked as three distinct stages of non-rapid eye movement and one stage of rapid eye movement. In non-rapid eye movement sleep there is little dreaming; rapid eye movement sleep accounts for 20-25% of total sleep time in normal adults and accounts for memorable dreams.

Each stage of sleep has unique characteristics; each stage lasts in humans from 90 to 110 minutes on average and has distinct physiological characteristics. Failure to complete the sleep stages may lead to sleep deprivation and a feeling of tiredness upon waking.

Sleeping pills, alcohol and stress can contribute to disruptive sleep patterns and may increase the feeling of tiredness. The National Sleep Foundation (US) suggests that an adult requires seven to nine hours of sleep. Proper sleep benefits performance, memory, problem solving, health and reduces the possibility of accidents. Some Physicians have attributed some forms of sleep fatigue to sleeping environment such as noise levels, humidity and the particular mattress or bed being used.

There are many ongoing discussions about sleep in the blogosphere. Dr. Michael Breus, Ph.D. and owner of the Insomnia Blog, offers advice and up to date news in the world of sleep and insomnia.

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Latest blogosphere posts tagged “sleep”

• Top Moment No. 17: NLDS Game Three

  
  Phillies Nation — Authority: 472
  Top Moment #17:  Phils take series lead on Howard’s sacrifice fly The third game of the National League Division Series was truly one for the ages.  It had to wait an extra day due to snow, but for four hours and six minutes, the Phillies and the Rockies see-sawed in one of the most well played games of the ...
  2 hours ago

• ready to slip into

  
  i am neurotic. — Authority: 135
  I cannot go to sleep without my slippers being right in front of my bed, ready for me to step in them right when I get out.
  3 hours ago

• Winter Hibernation

  
  BlogHer - Health & Wellness — Authority: 142
  I was skimming the internet today, as I often do in the mornings, and I came across this post from womens health guru Alex Jamieson (some of you might remember her as Morgan Spurlocks vegan chef girlfriend from Supersize Me). Ive followed her ever since I saw the film, because I think shes an amazing woman with a ...
  3 hours ago

• Stages of Sleep

  
  BED Online Magazine - The Bed Blog - We are crazy about beds. — Authority: 534
  Sleep is an odd occurrence, we’ve slept since time began and we do it every night, yet we still don’t know exactly why we sleep. As technology has dramatically advanced in the past 50 or so years, we now know the different stages we go through when we sleep. During the early stages of sleep you are still ...
  4 hours ago

• The Tempur-Pedic Mattress – A Modern Success Story

  
  Health & Fitness Blog — Authority: 169
  As unbelievable as it sounds, the story of how the Tempur-pedic mattress came to be starts at NASA. Thats correct...the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. During the Sixties, NASA was trying to create a material that would help lower the effects from g-forces that astronauts have to deal with. In the end, ...
  5 hours ago

• The Perfect Holiday Gift: Give the Gift of Sleep, Part I

  
  Blogs — Authority: 161
  ‘Tis the season for gift-giving and spreading holiday cheer. But how many times have you - 1) received a gift you just dont need, or 2) given a gift thats destined to never be used or appreciated? Its not easy finding the ideal gift for a person, especially if youre looking to watch your wallet this year. But I ...
  5 hours ago

• Do Your Adolescent Children Keep Odd Sleep Hours?

  
  Blogs — Authority: 161
  Puberty brings a ton of changes to a young persons life, but now we have evidence that the changes children experience in their sleep between the ages of 11 and 12 can happen sooner than the usual physical changes in adolescence. In a study released the first week of December in the journal Sleep , researchers ...
  5 hours ago

• The Big Sleep

  
  (Mis)readings — Authority: 109
  Following the suggestion of Pechorin’s Journal , I read Raymond Chandler’s The Big Sleep on my way home from Miami to Cebu. In this mystery novel, private detective novel Philip Marlowe is hired by a dying millionaire in a case of blackmail involving his two daughters. But as these kinds of yarn go, Marlowe ...
  6 hours ago

• Ranting of an Insomniac

  
  Authspot — Authority: 560
  I sit lying awake for to come and give my mind a shake praying that I may fall asleep For now only the wind will make a peep while I write this you may think that if i were to stop writing my eyes would wink my bodies urging me to sleep now my eyes start to weep Goodbye for the lights went out I can’t write ...
  6 hours ago

• Sleeping problems can be tricky to take care of, even with remedies

  
  Atomsantics.com — Authority: 149
  Once you feel fatigued at all times it is tricky to give attention on the noticeable things in life. Attempting to get your job completed is one thing, but spending a moment along with your children and in fact participate in their lives too is complicated if all you are able to do after [...]
  8 hours ago

• Melatonin lets you Wake Up with the Sun

  
  iPhone News at Desinformado.com | The Complete Source for iPhone News — Authority: 150
  Orbicule today announced Melatonin 1.0, an innovative and fun alarm clock application for iPhone and iPod touch. Melatonin lets you wake up with the sun, gradually increasing sunlight on the iPhone to offer a smoother wakeup experience. To make the natural setting complete, Melatonin includes three fun themes, each ...
  8 hours ago

• 60 day RAM Challenge-Truth About Diets

  
  3stepADS - Free Advertising Blog — Authority: 512
  Super-charge your metabolism and burn more fat even while you sleep! NBC’s Biggest Loser Champ reveals the simple tweaks to your diet and daily activity that will ignite your fat burining furnace.  Finally, winners from season 4 Reveal The Exact Weight Loss Program They Used To Lose Over 160 Lbs Each In Just 8 ...
  8 hours ago

• Wake Me Shake Train Alarm iPhone App

  
  Mobilewhack.com — Authority: 622
  The Wake Me Shake Train Alarm app for iPhones should be a great app to have for people who have a habit of dozing off when they are mobile on buses or trains. The app requires you to inform it on what station you have to get off or how far away you are from [...]
  8 hours ago

• The Precious Facts Of The Famous And Comfortable Simmons Beautyrest Mattress

  
  InsomniaRest.com — Authority: 131
  Are you about ready to travel looking for a new mattress? Is that the one you’re sleeping on now not as snug as it once was? Are you bored with trying to get comfortable thus you’ll sleep. If so, now is the time to contemplate looking for a brand new mattress. When you wish a comfy and sensible night of sleep you ...
  9 hours ago

• How Much of "How Others See You" is Only in Your Mind?

  
  Blogs — Authority: 161
  We all care about what other people think of us. So much so, that we often devote significant amounts of time and mental energy to figuring out what kind of impression we are making on other people. Despite being so involved in thinking about what others are thinking about us, we nonetheless dont always do the best ...
  9 hours ago

• Diagnose Sleep Problems With The Sleep Aid iPhone App [IPhone Apps]

  
  Gizmodo — Authority: 882
  Chances are, you know a heavy snorer. Hell, you might be one yourself. In which case, Id recommend you spend the $2.99 on the Sleep Aid app , which could detect whether you suffer from a breathing problem. Now, Im not a snorer (I hope) but growing up with a Dad who suffers from sleep apnea, which causes heavy ...
  9 hours ago

• Snow chaos: roads turned into ice rinks as councils ration grit, says AA

  
  Daily Telegraph | Telegraph.co.uk — Authority: 966
  Roads are turned into ice-rinks because local councils are not putting enough grit down, the AA has claimed.
  10 hours ago

• Hospitals cancel operations as snow chaos continues

  
  Daily Telegraph | Telegraph.co.uk — Authority: 966
  Hospitals in Berkshire cancel all non-emergency operations, as freezing conditions continue to hit road, rail and air services.
  10 hours ago

• Stop Snoring Exercises

  
  Tired of Insomnia? Rest Easy Tonight... — Authority: 149
  Snoring caused by a noise will be stopped through constant exercises. The best means to eliminate snoring is to exercise that we have a tendency to can call stop snoring exercises. Your main goal is to manage and lose your body weight. It’s been researched and it’s been a fact that over weight has been a serious ...
  10 hours ago

• Do Fat People Snore Additional? - Stop Snoring Home Remedy

  
  Tired of Insomnia? Rest Easy Tonight... — Authority: 149
  Is there really a natural stop snoring home remedy? I am positive that you have most likely heard stories regarding how some people were ready to get rid of their snoring downside with strategies that don’t involve surgery and medication. I didn’t used to believe this until I discovered a natural curing ...
  10 hours ago

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