Sleep Stages

The course gave a detailed explanation of concepts related to sleep and dreams. Sleep is
distinguished from the unconsciousness caused by general anesthesia and coma by the fact that it
is the loss of conscious that is periodic. Sleep occurs in several stages in the following order
REM, NREM- 1, NREM-2 and NREM-3 (Scammell). Lack of sleep has various effects
including reduced reaction time memory, judgment and concentration thereby leading to poor
work performance. Several disorders result from lack of sleep, they include sleep walking, sleep
talking, night terrors, insomnia, apnea and narcolepsy. Every individual has an internal biological
clock that is roughly synchronized with the 24-hour day and night cycle. Dreams are usually as a
result of everyday experiences as well as the ordinary events most of which involve misfortunes
and anxiety.

Analysis of Sleep Stages

Several sleep cycles occur when an individual sleeps. In a real life situation, it is very
easy to tell when a person is in a certain stage of sleep. In the first stage, REM, story-like dream
occurs, the sleep is light and one is easily awakened by small movements and disturbances. In
the second stage, NREM- 1, one experiences fleeting images. The second stage lasts a little more
than the first stage and an individual experiences low rates of blood pressure and reduced

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temperatures. In the last two stages a person is hardly aware of anything happening in the
environment. These last two stages can be described as the deep sleep stages. The last stage is
referred to as paradoxical sleep. If an individual can sleep walk in the stage prior the last one,
what are the worst things that can happen in the last stage?

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Work Cited

Scammell, Thomas. “Natural Patterns Of Sleep | Healthy Sleep”. med.harvard.edu. n.pag. 2007.
Web. 28 Feb. 2016.