Sleep is one of the most important aspects of our lives. It allows us to grow and re-energize, strengthening us for the days to come. A healthy sleep pattern is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. However, most of us don’t really know what is actually occurring during our sleep each night.
We enter a state of deep relaxation that is often hard to achieve in our active daily lives, we dream, and we replenish our physical and mental energies. But one of the most important things that happens when we sleep has to do with our eyes.
In order for our eyes to be healthy and function properly, they must it is essential to get an adequate amount of sleep each night. During sleep, our eyes go through two different stages while you are asleep.
The primary stage of sleep involves the eyes being completely still and relaxed. They do not move at all. In the second stage, our eyes move continuously. These two primary stages are classified as REM sleep and Non-REM or NREM sleep.
REM Sleep or Rapid Eye Movement sleep is a stage of sleep that we reach around 90 minutes into our sleep and at first, this phase of our sleep will only last around 10 minutes. Following another 90 minutes of nonREM sleep, we will go back into another REM sleep phase. Ideally each stage of REM sleep will last longer and longer as we get progressively deeper into our sleep. During a good nights rest we will spend approximately 25% of our sleep in REM sleep.
In the REM stage of our sleep our body is at complete rest and muscles are relaxed and unmoving, while our eyes, are hyper active – rapidly darting from side to side. This rapid eye activity occurs during the shallow type of sleep, and in most cases, if you wake up during the REM sleep stage, you will have the feeling of being refreshed and well reseted – as it occurs at the end of the sleep cycle.
Advanced medical studies show that as we sleep, we will experience between 3-5 periods of REM at night, but as we grow older, the REM stage of sleep is experienced less and less. For infants, 80% of their sleep time is experienced in REM stage, while people over 70 experience only 10%.
It is clear that there is a distinct link between the growth, healing, and re-energizing capacities of sleep and this particular stage of REM sleep. So keep in mind that it is important to get an uninterrupted night of sleep, not only so that your eyes can rest and remain healthy – but also so that your eyes can be allowed activity during this vital form of sleep.
During Non-REM sleep our eyes are relaxed and motionless. Our brain waves slow down and along with our heart rate. This period of sleep is made up of 3 distinct phases that each take us progressively deeper into relaxing and allow our physiology complete rest.
It has 3 distinct stages, and each stage lasts between 5 -15 minutes.
Stage 1 – The first stage of NREM sleep a light sleep phase, during which our body transitions from being fully away to sleeping.
Stage 2 – This is slightly deeper sleep. Our body temperature drops, heart rate slows down and our body begins to regulate all of its functions at an optimal rate for recovery.
Stages 3 -This stage is known as delta sleep or slow-wave sleep. It is a state of deep/restorative sleep. Your body relaxes the supply of blood increases and your energy is replenished or restored.
These stages of NREM sleep ultimately lead to the final stage of sleep, which is our REM sleep, after which the cycle repeats.
In our bodies, the lack of sleep will lead to stress, headaches, disorientation, exhaustion, and more. It is also important to reiterate that lack of enough sleep will adversely affect your eyes as well and may lead to complications such as blurred vision, red eye, and deterioration of our visual capacities.
So, remember to get a good night’s rest, so that you can keep your vision clear and your mind and body healthy for the next day.
We hope to SEE you soon!
