Paradoxical sleep as the name suggests is paradoxical as the activity of the brain in this stage of sleeping is same as when the person is awake. Paradoxical sleep is also known as dreaming sleep. It is explained that the difference in activity of brain during paradoxical sleep is due to this dreaming. Paradoxical sleep is also associated with the rapid and random motion of eye ball when asleep. Sleep occurs in stages of paradoxical sleep and non-paradoxical sleep with the latter lasting for longer period of time.
In an average human being, paradoxical sleep comprises of about 25 percentage of total sleep time. That counts to nearly 2 hours in a regular amount of sleep. Paradoxical sleep occurs in sessions. These sessions are shorter in the beginning and as the night comes to an end, these paradoxical sleep sessions can last as long as 1 hour. Generally, a person might experience about 4 to 5 sessions of paradoxical sleep during one night. Amount of paradoxical sleep also varies with the age of person.
As the person grows older the amount of paradoxical sleep also decreases. Both paradoxical sleep and Non-paradoxical sleep are essential for vital functioning of human body. Non-paradoxical sleep can also be called Non REM sleep as no eye movement is observed during this stage of sleep. This Non paradoxical sleep is further divided in to 4 stages. These stages are:
- Stage 1: Transition from being awake to sleeping: This stage usually lasts for about 5 to 10 minutes. You can easily be waked up in this stage of sleep. The muscle activity reduces and eyes move slowly under the eyelids.
- Stage 2: Light sleeping: This is the stage in which you actually sleep. It usually takes 10 to 30 minutes. Eye movement gradually stops and heart rate begins to lower. A decrease in body temperature can also be observed.
- Stage 3: Deep sleeping: You cannot be easily awakened from this stage of sleep. This stage usually occupies most of NREM sleep. If you are awakening up when in this stage, you take nearly 10 minutes to become normal again.
- Stage 4: Intense deep sleep: This is the deepest sleeping stage. Low frequency brain waves are emitted and blood flow to the muscles increase restoring their energy.
After these stages if NREM sleep are completed, the person enters in to REM sleep or paradoxical sleep. The person starts dreaming in this stage of sleep.
The brain is a wonderful device that involuntarily controls and restores the energy of body parts. Growth occurs while the person is asleep. Brain need sufficient amount of sleep to function properly. Chemicals which are known as neurotransmitters control the state of brain weather we are awake or asleep. These chemicals deactivate the neurons while asleep.
Sleep deprivation can lead to many problems. A human requires 8 hours of sleep per day on an average. If you get less than 8 hours of sleep per day, you may be sleep deprived. It’s difficult for one self to find out if he is suffering with sleep deprivation. Sleep deprivation includes deprivation of REM sleep or paradoxical sleep that may lead to restlessness and tiredness.