What are the 3 types of sleep?

Human sleep is made up of several cycles, each comprising different types of sleep. The three main types of sleep are:

1. Light sleep (stages 1 and 2) : Stage 1: This is the transition phase between wakefulness and sleep. It lasts a few minutes and is characterized by slowed brain activity and slow eye movements.

Stage 2: This phase accounts for around 50% of our sleep time. It is marked by a drop in body temperature, a slowing of the heart rate and periods of deeper sleep.

2. Deep sleep: This phase accounts for around 50% of our sleep time. It is marked by a drop in body temperature, a slowing of the heart rate and periods of deeper sleep.

3. Paradoxical sleep: This phase is characterized by rapid eye movements, high wake-like brain activity and intense dreaming. REM sleep plays a crucial role in information processing, memory consolidation and emotional regulation.

Each sleep cycle lasts around 90 minutes and is repeated several times throughout the night. Healthy sleep includes a good proportion of these three types, each with specific functions for physical and mental recovery.