Ever wonder what happens after your head hits the pillow?

Keep scrolling to find out. Barry the Sheep will guide you as you learn about different sleep stages and what factors are affecting your nightly rest.

This resource is not intended to diagnose any illness or disorder. If you are having significant issues with sleep, please see a doctor.

Read on to understand sleep at a deeper level, and find out what hidden factors go into sleep quality. We hope this information helps you you feel empowered and informed.

But first, basics.
There are 4 stages of Sleep.

Let’s walk through each of the stages.

Stage 1 (1)

Stage 2 (1)

Stage 4 (1)

Stage 1 (1)

1/4

We go through these stages multiple times a night!

What happens in a single uninterrupted night of sleep?

A typical night of sleep involves 4-6 cycles.

Healthy sleepers enter sleep through Phase 1, then progress through the other phases one by one. Once you have completed REM sleep, you have completed 1 cycle.

Each cycle lasts about 90 minutes.

Time to wake up, Barry!

Well, what you do during the day also impacts your sleep.

How do your day-time habits impact your nightly rest?

Click each factor to find out.

Less time spent sitting linked with better sleep

Hover over the graph to see how sedentary habits affect your sleep, or filter using the dropdown menus.

The width of each line demonstrates the variability in number of hours people participated in sedentary behavior (sitting) and how it impacted the quality of their sleep.

Highlights:

An increase in sitting tends to lead to lower qualities of sleep amongst participants

Yes - sleep is really good for you!

Sleep prevents depression
Sleep curbs ADHD behaviors
Sleep improves memory
Sleep improves cognitive performance

Sleep boosts creativity and problem solving
Sleep boosts immune system (makes it likelier to function well)
Sleep regulates hunger / fullness signals

The long-term effects of poor sleep can be serious.

Click through the chart below to see the effects long-term poor sleep has on chronic disease.

It's not just good for you. Being well-rested prevents car accidents.

Research conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that driving with only 6-7 hours of sleep increases the likelihood of getting into a car accident by twice as much compared to getting a full eight hours of sleep; furthermore, the chances of a crash more than quadruple when you sleep for less than five hours!

Lack of Sleep Impacts Your Likelihood of a Car Crash

Your sleep needs also change throughout your life.

Sweet dreams.

Sleep is the ultimate form of self-care and it's essential for our physical and mental health. It allows our bodies to rest and recover, while also helping us to process information and consolidate memories. Sleep deprivation can lead to a host of health problems, including depression, chronic diseases, and impaired cognitive function.

So, if you want to live your best life, don't skimp on sleep! Make it a priority and reap the benefits of feeling energized, focused, and ready to take on the day.

References & Sources

Gradisar M; Wolfson AR; Harvey AG; Hale L; Rosenberg R; Czeisler CA. The sleep and technology use of Americans: findings from the National Sleep Foundation's 2011 Sleep in America Poll. J Clin Sleep Med 2013;9(12):1291-1299.
Piccolo RS, Yang M, Bliwise DL, Yaggi HK, Araujo AB. Racial and socioeconomic disparities in sleep and chronic disease: results of a longitudinal investigation. Ethn Dis. 2013 Autumn;23(4):499-507. PMID: 24392615; PMCID: PMC3884220.

Faith S. Luyster, PhD, Patrick J. Strollo, Jr., MD, Phyllis C. Zee, MD, PhD, James K. Walsh, PhD, Sleep: A Health Imperative, Sleep, Volume 35, Issue 6, 1 June 2012, Pages 727–734, https://doi.org/10.5665/sleep.1846

Orben A, Przybylski AK. 2020. Teenage sleep and technology engagement across the week. PeerJ 8:e8427 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.8427

Snel, Jan, and Monicque M. Lorist. "Effects of caffeine on sleep and cognition." Progress in brain research 190 (2011): 105-117.

Fairclough, Stephen H., and Robert Graham. "Impairment of driving performance caused by sleep deprivation or alcohol: a comparative study." Human factors 41.1 (1999): 118-128.

Jenni, Oskar G., and Mary A. Carskadon. "Normal human sleep at different ages: Infants to adolescents." SRS basics of sleep guide (2005): 11-19.

“Alcohol and Sleep.” Sleep Foundation, 17 Mar. 2023, https://www.sleepfoundation.org/nutrition/alcohol-and-sleep.

“How Sleep Affects Athletic Performance.” Sleep Foundation, 13 Apr. 2022, https://www.sleepfoundation.org/physical-activity/athletic-performance-and-sleep.

Pietilä, Julia et al. “Acute Effect of Alcohol Intake on Cardiovascular Autonomic Regulation During the First Hours of Sleep in a Large Real-World Sample of Finnish Employees: Observational Study.” JMIR mental health vol. 5,1 e23. 16 Mar. 2018, doi:10.2196/mental.9519

Drake C; Roehrs T; Shambroom J; Roth T. Caffeine effects on sleep taken 0, 3, or 6 hours before going to bed. J Clin Sleep Med 2013;9(11):1195-1200.

Pacheco, Danielle. “Caffeine and Sleep.” Sleep Foundation, 17 Mar. 2023, https://www.sleepfoundation.org/nutrition/caffeine-and-sleep.

Westbrooks, Emily. “5 Surprising Ways a Full Night's Sleep Positively Effects Your Brain.” Romper, Romper, 27 Feb. 2018, https://www.romper.com/p/5-surprising-mental-health-benefits-of-a-full-nights-sleep-according-to-science-8337251.