Sleep Architecture - Sleep Mechanics: Sleep Disorders
Content provided by the Faculty of the Harvard Medical School
Sleep architecture
During the night, a normal sleeper moves between different sleep stages in a fairly predictable pattern, alternating between REM and non-REM sleep. When these stages are charted on a diagram, called a hypnogram (see Figure 2), the different levels resemble a drawing of a city skyline. Sleep experts call this pattern sleep architecture.
Figure 2: Sleep architecture
 When experts chart sleep stages on a hypnogram, the different levels resemble a drawing of a city skyline. This pattern is known as sleep architecture. The hypnogram above shows a typical night's sleep of a healthy young adult. |
In a young adult, normal sleep architecture usually consists of four or five alternating non-REM and REM periods. Most deep sleep occurs in the first half of the night; as the night progresses, periods of REM sleep get longer and alternate with Stage 2 sleep. Later in life, the sleep skyline will change, with less deep sleep, more Stage 1 sleep, and more awakenings.
| Last updated: | January 23, 2007 |
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Medical content reviewed by the Faculty of the Harvard Medical School. Harvard Health Publications, Copyright © 2007 by President and Fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved. Used with permission of StayWell.
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