Sleep Health
Sleep Anxiety: Restful Sleep Tips
When it comes to sleep, every minute of quality rest counts. Deep sleep is an important part of your sleep cycle, fueling the body's recovery, memory consolidation, and overall vitality. In this guide, we’ll explore the science behind deep sleep—what is it, why it’s important, how much you need, and simple tips to get better rest.
What is Deep Sleep?
The Importance of Deep Sleep
How Much Deep Sleep Do You Need?
Recommended Sleep Duration by Age
Variability in Individual Deep Sleep Needs
Understanding Sleep Stages Explained
The Impact of Sleep Deprivation on Deep "Slow Wave" Sleep
Factors That Affect Deep Sleep
How to Improve Deep Sleep
An Introduction to Deep Sleep
Your body works hard while you sleep—especially during the deepest sleep. It's in these stages that your body focuses on essential restoration, setting the foundation for physical and mental well-being.
Deep sleep, also known as slow wave sleep, is a sleep stage of non-REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. During this time, your brain waves slow down, your body becomes still, and vital repair work happens. Your muscles and tissues heal, your immune system strengthens, and your brain processes the day’s memories, while vital hormones are released throughout the body. It’s like hitting the reset button for your body and mind.
Getting enough deep sleep isn’t just about feeling rested the next day—it also plays a key role in your overall health in the long-run*. Here's how:
Understanding how much deep sleep you need to enjoy all these benefits is crucial to helping you take the right actions to get it.
The short answer is: it depends. How much sleep you need depends on your age, lifestyle, and overall health. Deep sleep is a crucial part of the sleep cycle, which consist of alternating phases of REM sleep and non REM sleep, and getting the right amount for you is essential for ensuring a healthy sleep cycle and overall well-being.
Not everyone needs the same amount of deep sleep. Factors like stress, exercise, and your health can change how much you need. For example, people who exercise regularly might need more deep sleep to help their bodies recover. If you’re feeling stressed out, your body might crave more restorative sleep. And in these cases, sleep is actually more important than ever.
While the general guidelines provide a framework for how much deep sleep is needed, it's important to listen to your body and adjust your sleep habits based on what it tells you. Ensuring that you get enough quality sleep (especially deep sleep!) is crucial for maintaining optimal health and well-being.
Your sleep happens in cycles, moving between different stages of sleep, alternating between REM and non REM sleep. Understanding these stages of sleep helps explain why deep sleep—and REM sleep—are so important1.
Non REM sleep has three stages, with Stage 3 being deep sleep. This is when your body does the most healing. Your muscles relax, blood flow increases to support recovery, and your body recharges for the next day2.
Sleep medicine reviews often highlight the critical role of non REM sleep in physical recovery and overall health.
REM (rapid eye movement) sleep is when you dream. It’s crucial for mental functions like memory and emotional health. Unlike deep sleep, REM sleep doesn’t repair your body but plays a key role in keeping your brain sharp.
When it comes to how you sleep at night, you’ll alternate periods of non REM and REM sleep. The best news? Your most intense deep sleep happens during the first few hours of the night, so you’ll see an increase in REM sleep as your night winds down early in the morning. These different stages work together to make sure your body gets the overall health benefits it needs.
The sleep cycle, also known as the sleep-wake cycle, is the process by which your body alternates between periods of wakefulness and sleep. A full sleep cycle typically lasts around 90-120 minutes and consists of three stages of non REM sleep (NREM sleep) and one stage of REM sleep. During a sleep cycle, your body transitions through different stages—light sleep, deep sleep, and REM sleep.
The first stage of non REM sleep is characterised by slow brain waves and a slight decrease in heart rate. 1. Also known as light sleep, this is when you can easily be awakened. The second stage of non REM sleep involves even slower brain waves and decreases in body temperature, marking a deeper sleep where waking up becomes more difficult*. The third stage of non REM sleep is the deepest stage of sleep, characterised by slow delta brain waves*. This is when your body does the most significant repair work. This is the phase we're talking about when we talk about deep sleep.
REM sleep, on the other hand, is marked by rapid eye movements, increased brain activity, and vivid dreams. This stage is crucial for cognitive functions like learning and memory, as well as processing emotional experiences. The complete sleep cycles has three stages of non REM sleep followed by one stage of REM sleep, with REM sleep usually occurring about 90 minutes after falling asleep*.
Sleep deprivation can significantly impact your deep sleep. That's because when you don’t get enough sleep, your body tries to compensate by by increasing the amount of time spent in REM sleep.. This is a phenomenon known as REM rebound. While it doesn't sound so bad, it can actually lead to a decrease in deep sleep, making it less restorative3.
Lack of sleep can also disrupt the stages of sleep, which can negatively affect both physical and mental health. When our body consistently doesn't complete the sleep cycle properly, it can lead to impaired cognitive function, mood disturbances, and an increased risk of chronic diseases. Sleep deprivation can also contribute to the development of sleep disorders like sleep apnea and insomnia, which makes it even harder to achieve deep sleep4.
Aiming for consistent sleep patterns and addressing any underlying sleep disorders to promote overall well-being is so important to ensuring you get adequate deep sleep to maintain your overall health.
Several factors can influence the quality of your deep sleep. Lifestyle factors, like how physically active you are, if your diet is well balanced, and the level of stress you regularly experience all play a significant role4. Regular physical activity can enhance deep sleep, while a diet high in sugar and caffeine can disrupt it.
Environmental factors like noise, light, and temperature also affect deep sleep. A dark, quiet, and cool sleep environment can promote deeper sleep, while a noisy, bright, and hot environment can be make it difficult to reach deep sleep4. Additionally, if you suffer from a sleep disorder, such as sleep apnea and insomnia, this can also interfere with deep sleep, so it's so important to address these issues before they impact your overall physical and mental health.
Getting better deep sleep doesn’t have to be complicated. A few simple changes to your routine can make a big difference.
Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day—even on weekends—keeps your body’s internal clock in sync. A calming bedtime routine, like reading or gentle stretching, can signal to your body that it’s time to wind down5.
(Related reads: How Yoga Can Improve Breathing and Sleep, Unlock Your Creativity with a Better Sleep Routine)
Your bedroom should be a haven for rest. Ensure your bedroom is dark, quiet, and cool to facilitate falling into deep sleep. Blackout curtains, earplugs, or a white noise machine can help block out distractions5.
Deep sleep is essential for your overall health. It helps your body recover, boosts your immune system, and keeps your mind sharp. By sticking to a consistent sleep routine, creating a restful environment, and adopting relaxation techniques, you can improve your deep sleep and enjoy all the benefits that come with it.
In addition to incorporating regular physical activity into your daily schedule and maintaining a balanced diet rich in nutrients to support your body's natural sleep processes, managing stress is also crucial for enhancing deep sleep. High stress levels can lead to sleep disorders and sleep deprivation, impacting your overall well-being.
It's also so important to address any underlying sleep disorders, like sleep apnea or restless legs syndrome, which can disrupt your sleep cycles. Consulting with a healthcare professional or exploring sleep medicine reviews can provide insights into possible treatments and interventions. Resmed is here to help with all your CPAP therapy needs to help you breathe easier and sleep more soundly. Consider one of our CPAP trials to get you started.
By taking these steps, you can significantly enhance the quality of your deep sleep, contributing to better physical health, mental clarity, and overall vitality.
Next Steps for Optimizing Sleep
Ready to understand your sleep even better? Take the next step by completing our Online Sleep Assessment, or Contact Us for support.
*ResMed Sleep Coaches are sales and customer service representatives who have received training in sleep health. They can give general information about sleep health, sleep disorders and products that may help improve your sleep. They are not qualified healthcare professionals and cannot provide medical advice. We recommend you continue to consult your GP.
ALWAYS READ THE LABEL AND FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE. You should speak to your doctor about your symptoms and whether a CPAP device is suitable for you.
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