Insomnia Terms - Healthy Sleep

Definition: Most people don't know what healthy sleep is, but to understand insomnia you must first understand what healthy sleep is. Healthy sleep is not just "down time" as quoted by the National Institute of Health (NIH). Healthy sleep involves two types of sleep: rapid eye movement or REM sleep and non-REM sleep. Healthy sleep includes 4 stages of non-REM sleep. During stages 3 and 4 of non-REM sleep your body restores itself. It repairs itself from the wear and tear of an ordinary day. During stage 1 your body engages in light sleep where you may easily wake. Your eye movements stop and your brain waves slow during stage 2 of non-REM sleep. During REM sleep most people dream.

Doctors don't really understand why we need to dream although some suggest it is to lay down memories, or that it provides the brain with time to organize thoughts so that our brains do not become overwhelmed. How much sleep do you need to get healthy sleep, the kind of sleep that allows your body to enter all of these stages of sleep so you wake feeling refreshed? Most researchers recommend you get between 8 to 9 hours of sleep each night. If you are sick you may need more. During your teen years you also may need more sleep, because your body is busy developing. Your sleep stages and cycles also vary when you are a baby. No two people sleep the same way. If you develop a sound bedtime routine, the chances are very good you will enjoy healthy sleep. You should not stay up late and wake up early, or expose yourself to harsh lights, television or computers late at night as this does not promote healthy sleep.

Examples: Healthy sleep is restorative sleep. Some people refer to it as REM sleep. Others suggest healthy sleep is sleep that is not "interfered" with, meaning you can sleep a full 8 hours without waking up and feel refreshed on waking.