When we sleep, our body goes through different stages. We typically pass through five stages of sleep, with the fifth stage being deep sleep. Even the most well-rested people experience a light sleep phase and a deep sleep phase.
While it's easy to know when you're in light sleep, it can be difficult to identify deep sleep without the help of technology. This blog post will discuss deep sleep, its benefits, and how to tell if you're getting enough of it. Deep sleep is crucial for our health and well-being, and understanding sleep can help us get the most out of our slumber.
What is Deep Sleep
Deep sleep is a state of sleep that is associated with rapid eye movement (REM). It is characterized by slow brain waves and is considered the most restorative sleep stage. During deep sleep, your body repairs itselfand produces hormones essential for growth and development.
Deep sleep is also critical for memory and learning. A good night's sleep usually includes several periods of deep sleep. However, sleep-deprived people may not reach this stage of sleep. Deep sleep is important for physical and mental health. It helps to boost immune function, repair tissue damage, and reduces stress levels.
Deep sleep also supports cognitive function and helps to protect against age-related mental decline. Getting enough deep sleep is crucial for overall health and well-being.
What Causes Deep Sleep?
There is no one specific thing that causes deep sleep. Rather, it is the result of several factors working together. First and foremost, your body needs to be in the right state for deep sleep. This means being physically and mentally relaxed. If you're stressed or anxious, your body will be in a state of arousal, which makes deep sleep more difficult to achieve.
Certain environmental factors can contribute to deep sleep. A dark and quiet room is ideal for sleeping, as it promotes relaxation. Similarly, a comfortable bed and sleeping surface can help you fall asleep more easily and achieve deeper sleep.
Your sleep schedule also influences deep sleep. If you go to bed consistently and wake up consistently each morning, deep sleep will be more likely. This is because your body has a natural circadian rhythm that influences sleep. When this rhythm is disrupted, it can be more difficult to achieve deep sleep.
What are the Stages of Sleep?
There are two basic types of sleep: REM (rapid eye movement) and non-REM. Most people experience four or five sleep cycles per night, alternating between the two types. Non-rapid eye movement sleep is divided into three sleep stages: N1, N2, and N3. Each stage gets progressively deeper and harder to wake from.
REM sleep is the final stage of the sleep cycle and is when most dreams occur. It's also when your brain is most active, and you may experience sleep paralysis, a condition where you cannot move your body for a short period.
Non-REM Sleep
- Stage 1: The sleep cycle begins when you're drowsy and falling asleep. Your eye movement slows, and your muscles relax. Stage 1 typically lasts for a few minutes, and it is easy to wake up at this stage.
- Stage 2: You're in a light sleep from which you can be easily awakened. Your heart rate slows, and your body temperature decreases.
- Stages 3: It is a deep stage of sleep, also known as slow-wave sleep, from which it can be difficult to wake up. At this stage, your brain waves slow down, including your heart rate and breathing.
REM Sleep
Deep sleep occurs in REM sleep. REM sleep is a stage of sleep characterized by rapid eye movements and increased brain activity. It is believed to play an important role in learning and memory. During REM sleep, the body is paralyzed, except for the eyes and muscles used for breathing. This paralysis is thought to protect the sleeper from acting out their dreams. REM sleep occurs throughout the night, with each cycle getting longer as the night goes on. Most people spend about 20% of their total sleep time in REM sleep.
Why is Deep Sleep Important?
Most people need between 7 and 8 hours of sleep per night to function at their best. When you first lie down to sleep, you enter a light sleep stage during which you're easily awakened. You then progress into a deeper sleep stage known as slow-wave sleep—also called deep sleep or delta sleep.
As its name suggests, deep sleep is a period of deficient activity. Your brain waves during deep sleep are prolonged, and your body is almost completely still. You're less likely to be awakened during deep sleep than in any other sleep stage.
This type of sleep is critical for physical and mental health. Deep sleep helps to promote tissue growth and repair, boost immunity, and reduce stress levels. It also helps to improve memory and cognitive function. Deep sleep promotes cognitive functions, learning, and memory by helping the brain consolidate and process new information. This process is considered important for preparing the brain for the next day.
Researchers suggest deep sleep may help evaluate new memories and then preserve and consolidate only the most relevant ones. Although this theory is still under investigation, evidence from studies suggests that deep sleep plays an important role in memory and learning.
For all these reasons, it's important to ensure you get enough deep sleep each night. If you're not getting enough deep sleep, you may notice changes in your mood, energy levels, and ability to concentrate. You may also be at risk for developing chronic health problems.
How Much Deep Sleep Should You Get?
Most adults need seven to nine hours of sleep every night. That doesn't mean you should stay in bed for that long. You will likely spend some time awake at night; you shouldn't count that against your total sleep time.
So, how much sleep should you aim for? Between 13% and 23% of your overall sleep should be a deep sleep. For most people, that works out to be 55 to 97 minutes each night. It's important to note that everyone is different, and your body will self-regulate to some extent.
For example, if you are frequently sleep-deprived or regularly experience short sleep (such as during a work week), you may spend more time in deep sleep. In contrast, if you've had a string of good nights' sleep, you may spend less time in deep sleep. Also, the older you get, the less deep sleep your body requires.
What Sleep Disorders are Linked to Deep Sleep?
There are three primary types of sleep disorders that can occur during deep sleep: sleepwalking, sleep terrors, and confusional arousal. Sleepwalking is characterized by episodes of rising from bed and walking around, typically without any memory of the event afterward.
Sleep terrors are similar but often involve a sense of fear or terror during the event. Confusional arousals involve complex behaviors mistaken for wakefulness, such as talking, sleeping, eating, or even driving a car. While these events can occur in older adults, they are most common in children and adolescents.
Typically, episodes of these disorders are short-lived for only a few minutes, and the sleeper does not remember them afterward. However, the events can still have an impact on your waking hours. Some sleepers with disorders of arousal may experience excessive daytime sleepiness due to interrupted sleep. Others may injure themselves or others during an episode due to disinhibited behavior. If you think you may be experiencing one of these disorders, you must consult with a sleep specialist to receive an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan.
What If You Don't Get Enough Deep Sleep?
Most people need around eight hours of sleep per night. However, the quality of your sleep is just as important as the quantity. Deep sleep, also known as slow wave sleep, is a critical stage of sleep that helps your body to restore and repair itself.
During deep sleep, your heart rate and breathing slow down, and your brainwaves become slower. Your body releases growth hormones that promote cell growth and support tissue repair. As a result, deep sleep is essential for physical and mental well-being.
If you don't get the right amount of deep sleep, you may experience feelings of fatigue. In addition, you may struggle to consolidate memories and learn new information. Your immune system may also weaken, making you more vulnerable to infection. In severe cases, chronic sleep deprivation can lead to hallucinations and paranoia.
Over time, a lack of deep sleep can also contribute to neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
A sleep study has found that slow wave sleep disruption increases cerebrospinal fluid amyloid-β levels. It is believed that amyloid-β plays a role in the development of Alzheimer's disease by damaging neurons and causing inflammation. To ensure you get enough deep sleep, it's important to establish a regular sleep schedule and create a calm and comfortable environment in your bedroom.
How to Know If You Are Not Getting Enough Deep Sleep
Here are some signs you may not be getting enough deep sleep:
- Frequent drowsiness and tiredness during the day
- Trouble concentrating and staying alert
- Getting irritable or anxious for no apparent reason
- Difficulty learning and forming new memories
- Poor physical performance
- Craving high-calorie food
Tips to Get More Deep Sleep
Below are the sleep habits that promote deep sleep:
1. Get on a sleep schedule
One of the best ways to get deep sleep is to establish regular sleep patterns and stick to them as much as possible. Going to bed and waking up at the same time each day helps to regulate your body's natural sleep rhythm, making it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep.
2. Create a relaxing bedtime routine
A soothing bedtime routine can help signal to your body that it's time to wind down for the night. Try taking a warm bath, reading a book, or spending some time stretching before crawling into bed.
3. Keep your bedroom dark and quiet
Making sure your bedroom is dark and quiet can also help promote deep sleep. Consider using blackout curtains or an eye mask to block out unwanted light, and invest in sleep aids like a white noise machine or earplugs to help drown out any disruptive sounds.
4. Make sure your sleeping surface is comfortable
Having a comfortable place to rest your head at night is crucial for quality sleep. Ensure your mattress is supportive and comfortable and that your pillows provide the right neck and head support.
5. Limit caffeine and alcohol consumption
Caffeine and alcohol can interfere with sleep, so it's best to limit consumption of these substances in the hours leading up to bedtime. If you drink caffeine, try to do so earlier in the day, so it has time to wear off before you sleep.
6. Avoid working in bed
Working in bed can create an association between your sleeping space and being awake and alert, making it harder to fall asleep at night. If you can, keep work and other activities out of the bedroom so you can reserve it for sleep.
7. Exercise during the day
Regular exercise has been shown to improve sleep quality, so aim to get at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise each day. Just be sure to avoid working out too close to bedtime, as this can make it harder to fall asleep.
8. Practice relaxation techniques
There are several relaxation techniques you can practice to help promote deep sleep. Some of them are just the sleep medicine needed to achieve or increase deep sleep. Deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and visualization are all effective methods for reducing stress and promoting restful sleep.
9. Listen to binaural beats
Binaural beats are a type of sound therapy that can help to induce deep sleep. This therapy involves listening to two different tones through headphones, which synchronizes your brainwaves and creates a state of relaxation. Some research suggests listening to delta waves' binaural beats can help you achieve deep sleep. You can try the BetterSleep app free to get different binaural beats for sleep.
10. Take magnesium supplements
Magnesium is a mineral that plays a role in many bodily functions, including sleep. Taking magnesium supplements has been shown to improve sleep quality and promote deep sleep. If you're interested in trying magnesium supplements, talk to your doctor to see if they're right.
Deep sleep is important for both physical and mental health, so it's important to ensure you're getting enough each night. These tips can help you get the deep sleep you need to function at your best.
Can I Track REM Sleep with Smart Technology?
Although it is possible to track REM sleep with polysomnography, most wearable devices and apps are not accurate enough to detect this stage of sleep. Polysomnography is a test that records brain waves, blood oxygen levels, heart rate, breathing, and eye and leg movements during the study. This information is then used to determine if a person is in REM sleep.
Most wearable devices and apps only track heart rate and motion, which are unreliable indicators of REM sleep. Furthermore, many people move around during REM sleep, so even if a wearable device or app could track this stage of sleep accurately, it would be tough to interpret the data. In conclusion, although polysomnography can be used to track REM sleep accurately, most smart technology is not yet advanced enough to do so.
Bottom Line
Deep sleep is essential for overall health and well-being. It's responsible for repairing and restoring the body, helping to consolidate memories, and strengthening our immune system. Deep sleep also helps us regulate moods and emotions.
To get deep sleep, we need to create an environment conducive to it. This includes avoiding bright screens before bedtime, having a dark and quiet room, and using calming rituals before bed. Deep sleep deprivation can lead to several negative consequences, including decreased productivity, impaired cognitive function, weight gain, cardiovascular problems, and more.
If you want to get deep sleep (and who isn't?), try implementing some of these tips with the help of the BetterSleep app!
