**OUR CYCLES OF SLEEP! br br The Neurologists often speak, of five different br stages of sleep! br Sleep generally commences in a light state, - br When the brain triggers high amplitude br ‘theta waves’! br And after some five to ten minutes, rapid bursts br of ‘sleep spindles’ flow, - br Which lasts for some twenty minutes or so! br Next we float on to a transitional phase, - br When the brain triggers ‘delta waves’, - br And we float between a light and deep sleep br phase! br Soon we get submerged into ‘delta sleep’, - br With Non-Rapid Eye Movements, - going br into deep sleep! br And with some people it has been seen, bed- br wetting, or sleepwalking, - br Often occurs during the end of this phase! br Finally comes the REM* stage when we dream, - br When increased respiration and brain activities br are seen! br But despite our active mind, our voluntary br muscles remain paralyzed! br This REM stage is said to increase, with the br progress of our night’s sleep! br And when the night grows dark and deep, - br These stages of our cycles of sleep, - br Breaks away from these sequential stages ! br When after the fourth stage, comes the third br and second phases, - br Repeating themselves till the day breaks! br When finally after our REM dreaming state, - br We once more begin to gradually awake! br -Raj Nandy br 10 Apr 09 br (*REM= Rapid Eye Movement: dreaming phase! br Based on various articles.