Why Do We Sleep in Cycles?

Imagine your brain is like a toy that needs to recharge every few hours. You fall asleep, and after some time, it wakes up just enough for you to dream or think, then goes back to sleep again. That’s why we sleep in cycles.

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Examples

You fall asleep, dream for a while, wake up briefly, then go back to sleep, like playing with your favorite toy twice before bed.
Your brain takes a short nap in the middle of the night so it can keep working on your dreams later.
Sometimes you wake up at 2 a. m. because your brain is just taking a break between cycles.

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Categories: Psychology · sleep,circadian rhythm,neuroscience