Introduction to the Sleep-Wake Cycle

Some nights you fall asleep easily, while other nights you toss and turn for hours. How and when you feel sleepy has to do with your sleep-wake cycle, a natural, internal, 24-hour cyclical rhythm, enabled by the communication of our body with the environment.

A cycle in which physiological processes go up and down allowing the body to function properly. Sleep is an important part of the sleep-wake cycle consisting of a number of sleep cycles during the night. In particular, the first sleep cycles are of major importance.

In this video, Dr Anne Schaafsma provides a short introduction to what the sleep-wake cycle is, and explains why it’s so important to our health and well-being.

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