Since about the 1930s, it has been known that sleep is divided into four phases: three of them belong to the stage of slow wave sleep, and one to the stage of rapid sleep. These conclusions were made by scientists during the study of brain waves using electroencephalography, but thanks to magnetic resonance imaging, scientists were able to identify 19 more phases that had not been recorded earlier. The new study of sleep phases may be considered the most detailed in the entire history - its results allowed scientists to take a fresh look at both the sleep process itself and insomnia.
To identify new phases, the scientists recruited a group of volunteers of 57 healthy people. They were placed in an MRI scanner, in which they were kept for 52 minutes. Since the eyes were closed, some of them were able to fall asleep for a short time - even in this short period, the researchers managed to identify a bunch of different biochemical processes in the brain. For this, both the data of a magnetic resonance imaging machine and an electroencephalographic apparatus were used.
By dividing brain activity into different groups, scientists have identified at least 19 phases previously unknown. All of them take place in the interval between wakefulness and the slow sleep stage. According to Professor Angus Stevner of Aarhus University, the results of their study have finally provided a more modern description of human sleep. It is high time for humanity to abandon the simplified picture of brain activity during a person's rest and realize that sleep is a complex process with many neuronal activities.
The discovery allowed for a new look at sleep disorders such as insomnia. This problem affects the lives of millions of people, so it is quite possible that scientists will develop more effective methods to eliminate them in the future.
How often do you have trouble sleeping? How many hours a day do you sleep?
Ramis Ganiev