

In the body, the heart rate and breathing rate are at their lowest and most regular during this part of the sleep cycle. Although the body completes a few cycles throughout the night, the third stage occurs in longer periods during the first part of the night. Stage threeĭeep sleep, or slow wave sleep, is the third stage of non-REM sleep. The body temperature also goes down.Īlthough the brain waves slow down further, this stage also includes small bursts of electrical signals in the brain. The muscles relax further, and eye movements stop. In the body, the heart rate and breathing rate slow down even more.

Humans spend most of their time during the sleep cycle in this stage of sleep. The second stage of non-REM sleep is another lighter stage of sleep that occurs as the body starts transitioning to deeper sleep. The heart rate and breathing rate slow, and the muscles start to relax, although they may occasionally twitch. The body also starts to slow its rhythms down during this stage. The brain waves start slowing down as brain activity and responses to sensory stimulation decrease. The monitoring of sleep reveals slow rolling eye movements. People may wake up from this stage of sleep more easily than from other stages.ĭuring stage one, the brain unwinds, along with the body. This period is relatively short, lasting only a few minutes, and the sleep is fairly light. The first stage of the sleep cycle is a transition period during which the body and brain shift from a state of wakefulness to one of sleep. The body cycles through the three non-REM stages of sleep: Stage one
