Who said that when a person is asleep, he is in a state of complete rest? Not a bit. Our body during sleep works as an excellent machine, which makes many important operations! Firstly, there is an active synthesis of ATP, the substance known as a universal source of energy for living systems. Second, while we parapumem, is made up 75% of the growth hormone... thirdly, during sleep we produce testosterone, which is responsible for sexual development. So it only seems to us that we have a rest...



Then slowly, then quickly

But really - we pass the inspection. Sleep, as it is known, consists of two phases: slow and fast (or paradoxical). The share of "slow" accounts for about 75% of the time sleeping, and quickly takes approximately 25% . It is believed that slow sleep fills us with energy, gives a true holiday for all systems, and they say that during slow wave sleep to man come clever ideas, sometimes even illumination. True, and nightmares we must also this phase. Quick same dream like a waking state, although the human body is immobile. Only move eyeballs closed eyelids, and when in REM sleep to Wake the man, he will be able to tell you that I had seen in the dream.

This phase is also called "paradoxical sleep".

In the phase of slow sleep is the rehabilitation and recovery of the organism: updated cells, restores the structure of tissues, is minor repairs of internal organs, replenishes the energy balance. At this phase there are four stages: first, drowsiness, well, who knows? At this time we are going through the impressions of the day before, improve something that is not cooked. Brain intuitively continues to seek answers to questions that were not resolved, and only then comes the dream slow depth. There are moments of full off of consciousness with high auditory sensitivity. We then fall asleep, how would float to the surface. In this period of time to Wake us nothing: the slightest noise, and sleep as usual. Then we descend deeper, until there is a phase of deep sleep. To recover physically, man enough 3-4 hours of slow wave sleep. But this does not mean that the coming after him the period of paradoxical sleep we don't need... Even as required for processing the information received by the brain during the day. And even more importantly, for the exchange of data between the conscious and the subconscious. If you want this piece of sleep helps us to adapt to changing environmental conditions. And if you interrupt this phase, we can pretty to hurt yourself, even cause mental disorders. And as lethargy, irritability and distraction provided.

To pin down an hour a day

Many doctors say that short sleep can help relieve tension during the work day, to improve the care and operation of the brain, so it would be good for us to enter into a tradition Siesta, as is common in inhabitants of southern Europe. But employers will not imbued with this idea. The secret benefit that brings short NAPs in awakening to dive in deep phase. That is, take a NAP 20-30 minutes is very useful, but to fall asleep for an hour and a half is not so: will almost certainly get sluggish and tired. But as to comply with the measure? Some creative individuals drink a Cup of coffee before a NAP, using caffeine as a kind of service that can interrupt sleep. This does not useful! The fact that our body is pretty smart, a lot of things in there, including service. However, to ensure that it worked without a hitch, you need to sleep at night. And then you can quite easily tune in to a revival, say, exactly 20 minutes. Or after 30... Remember how did Stirlitz? But waking up after such a short sleep, it is better to something light to eat or to drink a Cup of tea, coffee...

Learn from smaller brothers

Any biologist will tell you that the animal during sleep vulnerable. It is unable to respond to the threat, to quickly navigate. Merciful nature, of course, have pity on them, and made in the evolution of a new type: sensitively dormant animal. However, lucky not all - giraffes, say, and deep sleep today: on his knees, turning the neck around the legs... the king's dream of sleeping lions: lie on your back, folding her forepaws on his chest. As a sleeping cat, saw any - very picturesque: in the most fantastic poses! And the poor cows sleeping and standing with his eyes open. Dolphins and whales two hemispheres of the brain to sleep in turns, otherwise aquatic mammal can "sleep" breath and panting. As varied and "sleepy" habits of birds. But unlike mammals birds remain large motor activity and muscle tone. In order to sleep, the bird is not necessary to lie down, she can sleep while standing, sitting on eggs. And of course we are the envy of many birds are sleeping on the fly! Otherwise during transoceanic flights exhausted birds would still awake enough. Migratory birds are sleeping so: every 10-15 minutes in the middle of the pack comes in one of the birds and resting, slightly moving his wings. It bears the airflow created by the brothers. Then place the other bird. Oh, and to sleep "afloat" is for them at all nonsense: duck dreams, not getting out on the beach. By the way, I sleep not only a warm-blooded animals, but lizards, turtles, fish... Just recently, scientists believed that these "primitive" types just lose activity with the onset of a cold night, but not sleeping. Oh, no! At a constant temperature reptiles also fall asleep. There also and insects, with their sleep meets the same external criteria that are defined for the higher animals. Scientists of the University of Pennsylvania made a funny video: the dream flies Drosophila. These baby, and they slept in 4-5 hours, and day "has crushed" an hour and a half... the researchers noticed that go to bed they strive in complete peace: having each in a secluded area, so her relatives to lie on the belly and freeze.

To sleep or not to sleep - that is the question

Well, let's consider that the main task of sleep we learned. However, there are other issues, such as why sleep should be so long? Why sleep is necessary right at night? Why yet and the rest of the senses?

About long - not everything is so simple. You can soundly to sleep for six hours, and it will be much more effective than if you ten hours, simply wasting his time in bed with the sound of a neighbour of the holiday. Besides, according to the latest data of science, sleep our passes cycles for 1.5 hours, and your body needs to recover 2-3 cycles (i.e. 3-4,5 hours). Next comes the phase of paradoxical sleep, and the brain is almost never rests. But he typed impressions, that is, made a trip to the subconscious! in the depths of our mind can hide untold wealth, "the treasure of immeasurable value," according to the ancient teachings. And every night mirages of dreams reveal the veil in this secret world.

In the XIX century the doctors stated that the brain is capable of much more than we think. And beyond the realm of consciousness opens a huge, impenetrable field unconscious: what we are not able connected to tell, but what takes the lion's share of our mind. Paradox: most of the content in our pantry, brain, hidden, is not used, however, it is the Foundation on which rests the consciousness. And now, finally, scientists have begun to explore these hiding places. To the study of sleep.