You've probably noticed that it's hard to sleep when you're stressed out, and it's also hard to have good rest.
A new study shows that you can't rest well because of your hypothalamus that wakes you up.
Let's find out more about this process.
What They've Found
During non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREM), neurons in the preoptic hypothalamus, responsible for regulating sleep and body temperature, follow rhythmic activation, a new study reveals.
Stress can disrupt this pattern, causing premature awakenings known as "microarousals," ultimately reducing the overall duration of sleep episodes.
Despite the body being at rest during sleep, the brain remains active through four distinct sleep stages, including NREM and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep.
Each 90-minute sleep cycle involves three NREM stages, characterized by slowed brain waves, heartbeat, and breathing, as well as unique brain activities like spindles and K-complexes.
The third stage releases growth hormone crucial for body repair and immune system support, with larger brain waves called delta waves. REM sleep, essential for memory, emotion processing, and brain development, occurs during dreaming.
Stress-related sleep disorders can significantly impact these processes.
How It Was Tested
Researchers observed rhythmic activation of glutamatergic neurons in the preoptic area of mice's hypothalamus during NREM sleep, and their increased activity during microarousals.
Stimulation of these neurons caused more microarousals, linking stress to heightened activity. Inhibiting these neurons decreased microarousals, suggesting a potential target for stress-related sleep disorder treatments.
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