The Stages Of Sleep And Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy Of Needs

In the words of John Steinbeck, ‘It is a common experience that a problem difficult at night is resolved in the morning after the committee of sleep has worked on it.” In other words, we are able to make better decisions when we are well rested. In this manner, just as eating and breathing, the act of sleep represents one of the physiological needs according to Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. As a matter of fact, the stage pyramid proposed by Maslow comprises a motivational theory based on the ways people are motivated to achieve certain needs (McLeod, 2007). Physiological needs deal with the maintenance and regulation of the body. In this manner, sleep contributes significantly to the mental and physical well-being of an individual throughout …show more content…
In 1953, Dr. Nathaniel Kleitman from the University of Chicago was one of the first scientists to focus on sleep research. Along with her colleagues, they were able to establish that sleep is divided into two types: rapid eye movement (REM), and non-rapid eye movement (N-REM). During a night’s sleep, individuals alternate between these two components following what is called a sleep cycle. Analysis of Electroencephalographic (EEG) wave recordings which measure brain activity, made possible to distinguish between the different stages encountered while sleeping (Cacioppo & Freberg 203). The sleep cycle begins with stage number 1 of N-REM and progresses to REM sleep, then the cycle starts again. During stage 1 the individual can be easily awakened since is considered light sleep and there is some responsiveness to stimulus. Stage 2 occurs after 10-15 minutes and the eye movement become slower, as well as further reduction in heart rate and muscle tension. During the next 15 minutes, the sleep cycle continues through stages 3 and 4. At this moment, the individual is deeply asleep as demonstrated by the amount of delta wave activity observed in the EEG (Cacioppo & Freberg 204). Finally, the first episode of REM sleep takes place after 90 to 120 minutes accompanied by rapid movement of the eyes, muscle paralysis, and dreaming. This cycle is based on the recommended average of 8 hours for an adult. …show more content…
Newborn babies usually sleep for 16 to 20 hours a day, whereas as we grow up the sleep requirement decreases to 9 hours on average for teenagers. The good amount of sleep for adults seems to range between 7 to 8 hours. However, the adequate amount of sleep is reflected on an optimal daily performance and a full state of awareness, in other words when there is no daytime sleepiness it can be concluded that you are getting enough sleep (How Sleep Works, 2013). Some individuals can thrive in only 3 hours of sleep and considered themselves “short sleepers” but the American Sleep Association (XXX) explains that “getting too little sleep creates a “sleep debt,” ... that eventually, your body will demand to be repaid.” In many cases, having one full night of sleep does not compensate for the sleep loss of two or more consecutive nights of sleep deprivation. Although night shift workers adapt themselves to a sleep-depriving schedule, the overall state causes fatigue, affects the judgment and the reaction time becomes slower. As a result, sleep is a vital process for the correct and efficient functioning of the human body. An adequate sleep brings benefits such as improved memory, a boost of energy, healthy body weight, facilities the learning process, and sharpens our attention. On the contrary, the lack of sleep contributes to the malfunctioning of the body affecting both physiological and physiological