Follow
Sleep Cycle
The sleep cycle: A sleep cycle lasts about 90 minutes and during that time we move through five stages of sleep. The first four stages make up our non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, and the fifth stage is when rapid eye movement (REM) sleep occurs. NREM sleep: Across these four stages we move from very light sleep during Stage 1 down to very deep sleep in Stage 4. It is very difficult to wake someone who is in Stage 4 sleep. Across NREM sleep, we have little muscle activity and our eyes do not typically move, but all of our muscles retain their ability to function. REM sleep: As the name would imply – during this final stage of sleep, we have bursts of rapid eye movements. This is the stage of sleep in which most dreaming occurs. Our eyes are not constantly moving, but they do dart back and forth, up and down. These eye movements may be related to visual images of dreams, but that is not confirmed, and in general, the reason for these eye movements is still a mystery. Although our eyes are moving rapidly, the muscles that move our bodies are paralyzed (other important muscles, such as our heart and diaphragm continue to function normally).
-
SEP 24, 2018Genetics & Genomics
Driving is an everyday activity for many people around the world, and it comes with serious risks.Written By: Carmen LeitchSEP 03, 2018Genetics & Genomics
In mice lacking genes important to acetylcholine signaling, REM sleep was nearly lost.Written By: Carmen LeitchAUG 31, 2018Health & Medicine
We’ve all had crazy dreams of flying or being late for an important event. Some dreams have elements of our lives ...Written By: Brenda Kelley KimAUG 22, 2018Immunology
Immune cell functions such as inflammation are dictated by your bodies circadian rhythm, responding daily to external st ...Written By: Caitlin WilliamsAUG 02, 2018Neuroscience
The connection between sleep and depression has been explored in several studies. When we sleep, the brain recharges in ...Written By: Brenda Kelley KimAUG 01, 2018Health & Medicine
Many people eat a certain way to improve athletic performance. They choose low-carb or some other way of eating in hopes ...Written By: Brenda Kelley KimJUL 30, 2018Neuroscience
New parents often do not know exactly what to expect when caring for a newborn. Feeding schedules, development, sleep cy ...Written By: Brenda Kelley KimJUL 23, 2018Neuroscience
While millions of people work night shifts, the default for the body and the brain is based on a more traditional schedu ...Written By: Brenda Kelley KimJUL 16, 2018Health & Medicine
Every person has a circadian rhythm that tells them when it’s time to go to sleep and when it’s time to wake ...Written By: Anthony BouchardJUL 11, 2018Neuroscience
Sleep studies are a good way to evaluate insomnia issues, breathing problems, and sometimes even seizure disorders. Norm ...Written By: Brenda Kelley KimJUL 03, 2018Clinical & Molecular DX
A personalized reading of your circadian rhythm could help scientists prescribe the exact time of day that drug treatmen ...Written By: Kara MarkerJUN 05, 2018Cardiology
Getting enough sleep is good for you. Old news, right? A new study from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine expands o ...Written By: Kara MarkerAPR 04, 2018Health & Medicine
There are morning people who enjoy rising with the sun and getting an early start on their day. Others are night ...Written By: Brenda Kelley KimMAR 19, 2018Drug Discovery & Development
Menopause defined as the time in a female’s life (usually from 45 to 55 years of age) where the monthly menstrual ...Written By: Nouran AminFEB 06, 2018Neuroscience
Getting enough sleep is essential for overall health. When we are sleep deprived there is an increased risk of being in ...Written By: Brenda Kelley KimJAN 04, 2018Chemistry & Physics
For young people who don’t have ADHD, recreationally taking Ritalin may lead to changes in brain chemistry associa ...Written By: The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI)NOV 30, 2017Technology
People who are homeless can retrieve useful items such as clothing, food and personal care products.Written By: Julia TraversNOV 28, 2017Health & Medicine
Committing to healthy habits isn't as easy as it might sound. Everyone knows that eating a balanced diet, exercising ...Written By: Brenda Kelley KimNOV 09, 2017Videos
Eating a balanced diet is essential for staying active and healthy, but recent research shows that it's not only what we ...Written By: Brenda Kelley KimOCT 05, 2017Cardiology
When it comes to matters of the heart, women have the upper hand - heart health, that is. Where does this advantage come ...Written By: Kara MarkerAUG 31, 2017Neuroscience
Serotonin is an essential neurotransmitter. It's a chemical that regulates some vital functions in the body like moo ...Written By: Brenda Kelley KimAUG 25, 2017Clinical & Molecular DX
Americans are one sleep-deprived population – only a third of us get the minimum seven hours of sleep a night. But ...JUN 30, 2017Clinical & Molecular DX
It's estimated that by 2025, around 1.1 billion of the women in the world will be diagnosed with menopause - a natur ...JUN 13, 2017Videos
People claim that hearing certain noises helps them to sleep better. One of the names we give this is White Noise, which ...Written By: Anthony Bouchard
SEP 24, 2018
Genetics & Genomics
Driving is an everyday activity for many people around the world, and it comes with serious risks.
Written By:
Carmen Leitch
SEP 03, 2018
Genetics & Genomics
In mice lacking genes important to acetylcholine signaling, REM sleep was nearly lost.
Written By:
Carmen Leitch
AUG 31, 2018
Health & Medicine
We’ve all had crazy dreams of flying or being late for an important event. Some dreams have elements of our lives
...
Written By:
Brenda Kelley Kim
AUG 22, 2018
Immunology
Immune cell functions such as inflammation are dictated by your bodies circadian rhythm, responding daily to external st
...
Written By:
Caitlin Williams
AUG 02, 2018
Neuroscience
The connection between sleep and depression has been explored in several studies. When we sleep, the brain recharges in
...
Written By:
Brenda Kelley Kim
AUG 01, 2018
Health & Medicine
Many people eat a certain way to improve athletic performance. They choose low-carb or some other way of eating in hopes
...
Written By:
Brenda Kelley Kim
JUL 30, 2018
Neuroscience
New parents often do not know exactly what to expect when caring for a newborn. Feeding schedules, development, sleep cy
...
Written By:
Brenda Kelley Kim
JUL 23, 2018
Neuroscience
While millions of people work night shifts, the default for the body and the brain is based on a more traditional schedu
...
Written By:
Brenda Kelley Kim
JUL 16, 2018
Health & Medicine
Every person has a circadian rhythm that tells them when it’s time to go to sleep and when it’s time to wake
...
Written By:
Anthony Bouchard
JUL 11, 2018
Neuroscience
Sleep studies are a good way to evaluate insomnia issues, breathing problems, and sometimes even seizure disorders. Norm
...
Written By:
Brenda Kelley Kim
JUL 03, 2018
Clinical & Molecular DX
A personalized reading of your circadian rhythm could help scientists prescribe the exact time of day that drug treatmen
...
Written By:
Kara Marker
JUN 05, 2018
Cardiology
Getting enough sleep is good for you. Old news, right? A new study from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine expands o
...
Written By:
Kara Marker
APR 04, 2018
Health & Medicine
There are morning people who enjoy rising with the sun and getting an early start on their day. Others are night
...
Written By:
Brenda Kelley Kim
MAR 19, 2018
Drug Discovery & Development
Menopause defined as the time in a female’s life (usually from 45 to 55 years of age) where the monthly menstrual
...
Written By:
Nouran Amin
FEB 06, 2018
Neuroscience
Getting enough sleep is essential for overall health. When we are sleep deprived there is an increased risk of being in
...
Written By:
Brenda Kelley Kim
JAN 04, 2018
Chemistry & Physics
For young people who don’t have ADHD, recreationally taking Ritalin may lead to changes in brain chemistry associa
...
Written By:
The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI)
NOV 30, 2017
Technology
People who are homeless can retrieve useful items such as clothing, food and personal care products.
Written By:
Julia Travers
NOV 28, 2017
Health & Medicine
Committing to healthy habits isn't as easy as it might sound. Everyone knows that eating a balanced diet, exercising
...
Written By:
Brenda Kelley Kim
NOV 09, 2017
Videos
Eating a balanced diet is essential for staying active and healthy, but recent research shows that it's not only what we
...
Written By:
Brenda Kelley Kim
OCT 05, 2017
Cardiology
When it comes to matters of the heart, women have the upper hand - heart health, that is. Where does this advantage come
...
Written By:
Kara Marker
AUG 31, 2017
Neuroscience
Serotonin is an essential neurotransmitter. It's a chemical that regulates some vital functions in the body like moo
...
Written By:
Brenda Kelley Kim
AUG 25, 2017
Clinical & Molecular DX
Americans are one sleep-deprived population – only a third of us get the minimum seven hours of sleep a night. But
...
JUN 30, 2017
Clinical & Molecular DX
It's estimated that by 2025, around 1.1 billion of the women in the world will be diagnosed with menopause - a natur
...
JUN 13, 2017
Videos
People claim that hearing certain noises helps them to sleep better. One of the names we give this is White Noise, which
...
Written By:
Anthony Bouchard