Riding the Cycles

It’s an oft stated fact that we sleep in cycles, but what does that actually mean? We put it to Jon Denoris, health consultant and exercise scientist at Club 51

Stage 0 Waking rest; eyes closed but fully conscious Stage 1 Light sleep; easily woken and somewhat alert

Stage 2 Light sleep; can wake without feeling too groggy

Stage 3 Deep sleep; less responsive to outside stimuli

Stage 4 Deep sleep; the body starts to repair and renew Stage 5 REM; dreaming and consolidating memories

For complete sleep to occur, we need to run through every stage of this cycle, each of which performs a crucial function. The best time to wake up is during your lightsleep stage, which feels less jarring and more natural. Some “smart alarms” claim to track this for you, waking you at the optimal point within your chosen timeframe.