The Alpha stage is a period in which the body and mind prepare to relax and might be accompanied by daydreams and a hazy feeling that may make these visions feel like actual dreams. Some could also experience realistic physical, visual, or auditory events during this time. It is estimated that people take an average of 7 minutes to fall asleep, but we should not actually begin dreaming until much later during the sleep cycle.
About an hour and a half into our slumber experience, we enter REM, or the Rapid Eye Movement portion of rest. This is when the actual dreaming starts. It is at this level that the muscles in the body are at their peak rest, while brain activity peaks.
The REM stage may only be a few minutes long when a person first experiences it. Sleepers go through the various cycles several times in one night and REM should grow longer each time it comes up in the cycle. This should also dictate the length at which your dreams last, as they happen in real time.
On average, it should take approximately 90 minutes to start your nightly adventures. But how long it lasts depends on the amount of time you are able to sustain deep REM sleep so be sure to practice mindfulness and meditation techniques that promote deeper sleep!
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