Process, Update, Grow

Sleep is the most important element to your health when it comes to recovery.

We all have a sense of understanding that is important for us and that we should get the recommended 7-9hrs per night. The question is however “why?” Why do we need a certain amount of sleep? What’s so important about this state of being that keeps us from our day of doing? Well, it is so much more than meets the eye. For simplicity sake let me explain it more in depth but trust me this is only scratching the surface.

Sleep can be broken into two types:

REM = Rapid Eye Movement (dream state)

NREM = Non-rapid Eye Movement (stages 1-4)

You may have heard of these before but let me highlight what they actually do for you. NREM usually happens first. As you slowly enter into the deepest stage(stage4) this is where you sort through thoughts, events, emotions of the day discarding what you don’t need and bringing clarity into the mind. REM comes in stronger towards the end and this is where you start to replay scenarios in your mind, solidifying information you have learned, and strengthening connections in the brain.

Each cycle of both NREM & REM lasts about 90min, with each additional stage adding depth and more of the REM refining over time. This is why when we cut sleep short, for example 5hrs, we don’t experience the same rejuvenation and clarity as we would with a 9hr sleep. So quantity matters in this case.

Dr. Matthew Walker explains these concepts in terms I find quite helpful:

Wake state = reception

NREM = reflection

REM = integration

Or in other terms, we learn from the world. Then when sleeping we store and build upon information and skills. Then update ourselves with more accurate views of the world, ideas, and insights. See how all of it is integrated and essential to growing in not only the body but the mind.

I could go on forever but I’ll leave you with that and in suspense of more to come…