What Is the Sleep-Wake Cycle?

The sleep-wake cycle is a 24-hour period in which the average person spends 16 hours awake and eight hours asleep. The cycle is governed by the body's circadian rhythm and how the brain responds to the amount of light present.

Features

• Circadian rhythms are mental, physical and behavioral changes that occur within a 24-hour cycle, responding chiefly to light and darkness in the environment. A group of 20,000 nerve cells in the brain, the suprachiasmatic nucleus, governs our sleep-wake cycles and circadian rhythms.

Benefits

• A healthy sleep-wake cycle is one in which the average adult is able to get between seven to eight hours of uninterrupted sleep per night. If you are able to maintain a healthy cycle, you will not feel sleepy during the day and you will also perform work or school related tasks with greater ease than if your cycle is out of sync.

Warning

• There are several disorders involved with sleep-wake cycles and also many ways in which our modern lifestyles can interrupt a healthy cycle. For instance, many individuals struggle with insomnia and difficulty falling asleep. Also, staying exposed to bright light into the night makes it difficult for your brain to trigger the production of melatonin, which makes you feel sleepy. If you find that you are struggling with your sleep-wake cycle, your first step should be to limit your exposure to bright light once nighttime begins.