5 Surprising Signs of Good, Restful Sleep

5 Surprising Signs of Good, Restful Sleep

A good night’s sleep is important. Sleeping well allows us to recharge our batteries and properly digest all the information and experiences experienced during the day. Typical symptoms of sleep deprivation are of course fatigue and reduced performance. But then, what are the signs of the body that indicate that we sleep well?

Here are five sometimes surprising signs that your body is getting enough sleep at night.

The stages of sleep

At night, the body constantly goes through a cycle of four stages of sleep. A cycle lasts approximately 90 minutes, of which approximately 50 minutes are devoted to the phase of falling asleep or light slow sleep. This phase is followed by the deep sleep phase, during which the person recovers best physically and mentally. REM sleep marks the end of a sleep cycle.

REM stands for “rapid eye movement”. During this phase, brain activity accelerates. Researchers assume that sensory information and impressions are processed during this phase, which is why we also dream during this phase. Towards the end of the night, the duration of the different phases changes in favor of the REM phase, as the body prepares to wake up.

1. The “sleep” in the eyes

We are talking about the mucus that accumulates in the inner eyelid of the eye during sleep. The gritty feeling in the eyes is caused by the buildup of tear fluid and mucus in the conjunctiva. This is a sign that you have had a long period of deep sleep. The sleep was so deep that the eyelids did not move. Therefore, tear fluid was not removed by blinking and accumulated at the edge of the eyelid.

2. Farting

Even though the stomach and intestines work slower at night than during the day, there is still a lot going on in the human body. Sometimes the gas escapes with the farts. During deep sleep, limbs and muscles are relaxed and you cannot consciously “fight” them.

3. Half-open eyes 

What looks like a scene from a horror movie is completely normal and a sign of restful sleep. After all, it is this phenomenon that gives the REM phase its name (see above). This shows that the brain is active and processing what it has experienced in the form of dreams.

4. Excitement

It can be seen that men, in particular, are excited in the morning. However, it happens in both genders and is completely normal. Rarely does excitement have anything to do with an erotic dream? Unlike the deep sleep phase, the body performs a multitude of neural activities in the REM phase. It prevents the body from falling into a comatose state. Sometimes the brain sends signals to the vagina or the penis. Experts estimate that men have up to five erections a night.

5. Peeling skin

It may sound gross, but it’s a good sign: flaking skin on the pillow shows that the body’s healing process is working. This is only possible if the body receives enough energy, that is, enough restful sleep in addition to food and drink

Some signs are quite strange. But they also show that you shouldn’t be ashamed of the body’s natural processes. Sleep well!