Many people around the world have started to pride themselves over their ability to work for long hours by getting only 5 to 6 hours of sleep. But the truth is that these people are doing their body and mind great injustice by depriving them of the needed amount of deep sleep. It is important to understand how to get more deep sleep because of the various health benefits that it carries with itself. While you are sleeping, your brain begins to catalog the experiences you had the previous day. Your memory is primed, and several hormones are released to regulate energy, mental acuity, and moods. In order to complete all its functions, your brain needs at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep. When this time period is lessened, it takes a toll on your creativity, concentration, productivity, and mood regulation. You have to understand that the appropriate amount of shut-eye is very important for your performance in day to day life.  Deep sleep is absolutely essential for hormonal regulation, physical renewal, and growth. If you do not get enough deep sleep, you will be likely to fall prey to depression, sickness, and weight gain.  If you want to avoid slow cognitive and social processing, ensure that you get the right dosage of sleep.

Why You Wake Up Tired?

The American Sleep Apnea Association claims that after a good sleep, you should wake up feeling fresh and alert. However, this does not happen for most people. You might be sleeping for 7 to 9 hours every night, but sometimes less than 10% of it is the crucial amount, which makes it important to understand how to get more deep sleep. At least 90 minutes of your sleep cycle should be constituted by deep sleep; if you feel that is not happening, then there are various things that you can discuss with a doctor or trained professional to sort this problem. This includes discussing-

• General sleep disorder
• Obstructive sleep apnea
• Not getting enough sleep.
• Getting too much sleep
• Other health conditions which might cause fatigue

The Difference between Light Sleep and Deep Sleep

First, we need to understand the difference between REM and non-REM sleep. Light sleep covers the first two stages of non-REM. This stage is known as the transition phase and includes the time where you go from being awake to falling asleep. The second stage of non-REM includes dreaming; however, it is not as intense as the further stages of REM. With age, people begin to spend more and more time in a state of light sleep, which greatly affects their brain functions. Deep sleep is also called slow-wave sleep and constitutes of a restorative sleep stage. A person needs at least 7 hours of deep sleep in order to maintain their health, although this amount changes with time and age. Deep sleep includes Rapid Eye Movement, which is the most crucial stage of your sleep cycle.

Different Stages of Sleep

• First comes non- REM sleep that has two stages. During the first stage, you go from being awake to being asleep. The second stage of REM accounts for 50% of your total sleep cycle. In this stage, your body’s systems relax, your core temperature drops, and your eye movements stop. Stages 3 and 4 are stages of deep sleep wherein your heartbeat and breathing become very slow, and your brain waves are the slowest.
• The next thing that comes is the REM sleep cycle, which begins 90 minutes after you fall asleep and occurs periodically every 90 minutes. At this time, your breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure rise to near waking levels. This is the stage where you’re most likely to dream, and your arms and legs are paralyzed temporarily.

What Happens if You Don’t Get Deep Sleep?

Deep sleep helps you process the information that you have encountered every day. If you don’t get enough of it, your brain is unable to convert information into memory. If you don’t get enough sleep, you are likely to suffer from conditions like-

• Alzheimer’s disease
• Heart disease
• Diabetes
• Stroke

The stage of deep sleep is also associated with a number of disorders such as-

• Sleepwalking
• Night Terrors
• Bed wetting
• Sleep eating

It is important to understand how to get more deep sleep in order to avoid the following conditions-

• Memory troubles
• Mood changes
• Weakened immunity
• Trouble concentrating
• Poor response time and increased accident risk
• High blood pressure
• Weight gain
• Risk of diabetes
• Risk of heart disease
• Early aging

How Much Deep Sleep Do I Get?

It is important that you spend at least 75% of your night-time in non-REM sleep and 25% in REM sleep. Of all this time, 13-23% constitutes deep sleep. Deep sleep decreases as you grow in age, which makes it important to understand how to get more deep sleep as you age. When you’re under 30, you get as much as two hours of a deep sleep, whereas people above 65 can get only half an hour of deep sleep. Although there is no requirement for deep sleep, younger people need it more, for it helps promote growth and development. Of course, older people too require deep sleep, but not getting enough of it does not mean that they have a sleeping disorder. Age has a great role in the amount of sleep that you get.

How to Get More Deep Sleep?

Everyone, invariably, feels refreshed after they have had enough deep sleep, during REM, our body works to repair muscles and strengthen our mind. If you want to know how to get more deep sleep to read the points below-

Shut Your Devices

It is absolutely unhealthy to stay on your phone throughout the day. The bright light from gadgets affects your brain and hinders your sleeping pattern. If you wish to get proper sleep at night, you should make it a point to shut down your devices at least one hour before going to bed.

Exercise

If you want to form proper sleeping patterns, make sure that you exercise for at least half an hour every day. But make sure that you don’t work out close to your bedtime because that can cause sleep deprivation. Yoga and meditation also help greatly in improving the quality of sleep.

Set Your Room Temperature

Physiologists have discovered through research that the best temperature to sleep in lies between 60-67 degrees. However, at any time, you should set the room temperature to any number that suits your body.

Pink Noise

Pink noise refers to soft sounds such as the rustling of leaves and the sound of waves. Such sounds have a soothing effect on your mind and greatly help in getting better sleep.

Be Mindful of What You Eat

It is important that you understand the influence of your food on your sleep cycle. Always avoid drinking excessive caffeine through tea, coffee, soft drinks, etc. Also, make sure that you do not go to bed on an empty stomach or do not overeat right before going to bed.

Maintain Sleep Hygiene

You need to maintain a bedtime routine which should aim at making you feel calm and relaxed. Towards the end of the day, you should make sure that you avoid stressful, stimulating situations that might keep you awake at night.

Deep Sleep Frequently Asked Questions

 

What Makes A Good Sleep Cycle?

A good sleep cycle consists of two phases of REM. The first NREM-REM sleep cycle should be between 70 and 100 minutes, while the second phase should last for about 90 to 120 minutes minimum.

What Is the Sleep Requirement for Different Ages?

Teenagers should be able to get 8-10 hours of sleep. Younger adults (18-25) need 7-9 hours of sleep. Adults should have a sleep cycle that lasts for 7-9 hours. Older adults (65+) should be able to get 7-8 hours of sleep.

What Causes A Lack of Deep Sleep?

Sleeping disorders are the major reason behind incomplete sleep. Problems such as sleep apnea and periodic limb movements result in recurrent awakenings throughout the night. If you are under medication for psychological illnesses such as bipolar disorder, your sleep pattern may be affected by the medicines that you take.

What Is A Good Time to Sleep?

According to The National Sleep Foundation, the best time to fall asleep lies between 8 pm and midnight. However, you can make changes as per the time that you wake up in the morning and the amount of sleep that you feel your body needs.