Psychology - Characteristics and patterns of stages of sleep

Characteristics and patterns of stages of sleep

Characteristics and patterns of the stages of sleep: rapid eye movement sleep (REM sleep) and non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREM sleep).

When we are awake and alert the electroencephalograph (EEG) shows wave lengths which are low in amplitude and high in frequency called beta waves. As we relax the brain waves become alpha waves, which are higher in amplitude and lower in frequency. During sleep, periods of rapid eye movement (REM) alternate with Non-REM (NREM) sleep. The sleep cycle consists of four stages.