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What Is Arousal?
As it sounds, arousal is when a person becomes ‘aroused’ or more alert to some extent during the sleep cycle. It is a change in brain wave activity. Arousal typically represents a shift from sleep to a state of being awake.
Change in Brain Wave Activity
Alpha Waves and Your Sleep
Arousal Signifies Changes in the State of Sleep
Arousal typically represents a shift in sleep states. Arousal can be a shift from deep to light sleep, or from sleep to a state of being awake.
Sleep occurs in two basic states throughout the night. The twostages of sleepare rapid eye movement sleep (REM) and nonrapid eye movement sleep (NREM). Normally, you have several cycles of these stages throughout a typical night of sleep.
Arousal can occur during any stage, and it is more common between stages
What Can You Do About Arousal?
Arousal is not uncommon during sleep, but most people fall asleep within a few minutes and don’t remember it. Arousal, when you’re trying to sleep, can become an issue if it occurs frequently. It can prevent some people from getting a solid night’s sleep, and also fromgetting enough deep sleep.
One important thing to keep in mind is that it is helpful not to worry about arousal. Keep in mind that it’s normal, and stressing out about it can make it worse.
Some ways to avoid prolonged arousal when you’re trying to sleep include:
If you are having persistent trouble sleeping, talk to your doctor. You might need a medical evaluation and treatment to help you sleep better.
What Is a Sleep Study (Polysomnogram)?
4 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Scammell TE, Arrigoni E, Lipton JO.Neural circuitry of wakefulness and sleep.Neuron.2017;93(4):747-765. doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2017.01.014Herrmann CS, Strüber D, Helfrich RF, Engel AK.EEG oscillations: from correlation to causality.Int J Psychophysiol. 2016;103:12-21. doi:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2015.02.003National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Brain basics: understanding sleep.Passos GS, Poyares DL, Santana MG, Tufik S, Mello MT.Is exercise an alternative treatment for chronic insomnia?Clinics (Sao Paulo). 2012;67(6):653-60.Additional ReadingPatel AK.Physiology, sleep stages. StatPearls [Internet].
4 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Scammell TE, Arrigoni E, Lipton JO.Neural circuitry of wakefulness and sleep.Neuron.2017;93(4):747-765. doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2017.01.014Herrmann CS, Strüber D, Helfrich RF, Engel AK.EEG oscillations: from correlation to causality.Int J Psychophysiol. 2016;103:12-21. doi:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2015.02.003National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Brain basics: understanding sleep.Passos GS, Poyares DL, Santana MG, Tufik S, Mello MT.Is exercise an alternative treatment for chronic insomnia?Clinics (Sao Paulo). 2012;67(6):653-60.Additional ReadingPatel AK.Physiology, sleep stages. StatPearls [Internet].
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Scammell TE, Arrigoni E, Lipton JO.Neural circuitry of wakefulness and sleep.Neuron.2017;93(4):747-765. doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2017.01.014Herrmann CS, Strüber D, Helfrich RF, Engel AK.EEG oscillations: from correlation to causality.Int J Psychophysiol. 2016;103:12-21. doi:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2015.02.003National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Brain basics: understanding sleep.Passos GS, Poyares DL, Santana MG, Tufik S, Mello MT.Is exercise an alternative treatment for chronic insomnia?Clinics (Sao Paulo). 2012;67(6):653-60.
Scammell TE, Arrigoni E, Lipton JO.Neural circuitry of wakefulness and sleep.Neuron.2017;93(4):747-765. doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2017.01.014
Herrmann CS, Strüber D, Helfrich RF, Engel AK.EEG oscillations: from correlation to causality.Int J Psychophysiol. 2016;103:12-21. doi:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2015.02.003
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Brain basics: understanding sleep.
Passos GS, Poyares DL, Santana MG, Tufik S, Mello MT.Is exercise an alternative treatment for chronic insomnia?Clinics (Sao Paulo). 2012;67(6):653-60.
Patel AK.Physiology, sleep stages. StatPearls [Internet].
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