We spend a third of our lives sleeping. However, many of us forget its importance. Sleep plays a role as one of the fundamental pillars of a healthy lifestyle and has a direct and demonstrable impact on mental and physical health. How to sleep better? And how is sleep related to burnout syndrome?
An adult should sleep an average of 7 to 9 hours per day and go through several cycles composed of different phases during sleep.
What sleep stages do we have?
NREM stages N1 and N2
You move from wakefulness into relaxation and then into sleep. Your muscles relax, and your mind and breathing become calmer. In stage N1, it's easy to wake you up; in stage N2, you are already sleeping more soundly.
NREM Stage N3
This stage is also called deep or delta sleep. During this time, our body undergoes important processes that have a fundamental impact on the regeneration of the organism, cells, and tissues. At the same time, new information, experiences, and impressions are sorted and stored in more stable memory traces.
REM phase
It is also called the dream phase because it is at this moment that we have our most vivid dreams. The abbreviation REM stands for "rapid eye movement." In this phase, the eyes actually move under the eyelids, which is one of its typical characteristics. Brain activity is very high, almost at the level of wakefulness, while the body rests – that's why we dream. Dreams reflect what we have experienced and felt during the day, as well as our psychological and physical state.
The individual stages alternate, and the entire cycle lasts approximately 90 minutes. If sleep is not disturbed, a person should go through all stages, and their body and mind can regenerate maximally. Initially, the NREM stages are longer, but they gradually shorten in favor of the REM stage – which is why most of our dreams occur towards the morning.
Sleep and burnout syndrome
Each stage of sleep plays a role in the body's regeneration – both physically and mentally. One of the risk factors for developing burnout syndrome is precisely a lack of quality rest. If sleep is insufficient or disrupted, and individual processes don't function as they should, it will inevitably manifest in our bodies even when we are awake. So, what happens when sleep is of poor quality long-term?
- Our frustration tolerance will decrease - everything will "annoy us more."
- It will manifest in the body – headaches, nausea, malaise, and fatigue.
- Lower productivity at school/work – inability to concentrate and think objectively
- Mental distress - anxiety, sadness, fear, anger; negative emotions intensify
Quality rest is fundamental and should not be forgotten. If we neglect it, an unpleasant chain reaction can start:
Neglected sleep → worse physical and mental condition → bad mood → insufficient work performance → need to catch up on work in free time → stress, frustration, and in extreme cases, burnout syndrome
The good news, however, is that something can be done about it – or it can be prevented entirely.
How to improve sleep quality?
- Consistency is key – try to go to bed and wake up at the same time.
- Darkness, silence, air – customize your sleeping environment
- Reduce blue light exposure in the evening – ideally avoid your phone and computer before bed, or use blue light filtering apps or glasses.
- A healthy lifestyle – a quality diet and exercise significantly benefit sleep.
- Managing Stress at Work - Give it a try mindfulness, put away work in the evening and engage in calming activities
Even small changes can make a big difference. In the case of sleep, this difference will be reflected in all areas of life, which is why it is worth considering quality sleep as one of the main priorities. Performance, mood, and overall health are directly related to it.
