Your sleep cycle includes light, slow-wave, deep, and REM sleep, which repeat throughout the night. To get restful sleep, you need to spend the right amount of time in each stage of the sleep cycle.
The sleep cycle has three NREM stages and one REM stage. Deep sleep occurs in stage 3 and is crucial for feeling refreshed. REM sleep helps in processing and storing memories. As we sleep, our brain ...
The internet claims waking at the end of a sleep cycle will leave you refreshed, but experts aren’t convinced. By Clarissa Brincat Published Sep 9, 2025 9:00 AM EDT Add Popular Science (opens in a new ...