Discovering the ideal amount of deep sleep isn’t just about numbers. It’s the key to a refreshed mind and a revitalized body. Adults typically require 1.5–2 hours of this essential rest each night, alongside 7-17 hours of total sleep within 24 hours.
This article reveals the vital role of stage 3 non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, also known as deep sleep. Read on to explore the importance of deep sleep and its necessary duration for your well-being.
Key Takeaways
- Need 1.5-2 hours per night: Adults need 1.5-2 hours of deep sleep for optimal health and cognitive function.
- Deep sleep benefits: Improves memory, mood, physical health, and cognitive function.
- Consequences of insufficient deep sleep: Increased risk of mood swings, memory problems, neurological conditions, physical health issues, accidents, and impaired decision-making.
- Tips for deeper sleep: Use a mouthpiece for sleep apnea, adopt a consistent sleep schedule, relax before bed, avoid heavy meals and screens close to bedtime, create a comfortable sleep environment, and skip benzodiazepines.
- Seek professional help: If sleep issues persist, consult a healthcare provider for personalized solutions.
- Bonus: Sleep needs vary by age group. Check the article for details.
The Stages of Sleep
Non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and rapid eye movement (REM) stages are the basis of the sleep cycle. The NREM stage comprises three distinct stages, each crucial in our restorative process and overall well-being.
REM sleep, or Rapid Eye Movement sleep, is the stage where vivid dreams occur, characterized by rapid eye movements, increased brain activity, and heightened emotions.
Non-Rapid Eye Movement (NREM) Sleep Stages:
NREM Stage 1 (N1):
This stage is the transitional phase from wakefulness to sleep. Brain waves begin to slow down, and the body starts to relax. It’s a brief phase lasting around 5-10 minutes, characterized by light sleep. During N1, individuals may experience drifting thoughts or sudden muscle contractions called hypnic jerks.
NREM Stage 2 (N2):
A deeper stage of sleep, N2 is where true sleep begins. It constitutes most of our sleep cycle, lasting around 20 minutes at a time and repeating throughout the night. Brain waves continue to slow down with occasional bursts of rapid brain activity. These electrical activities are thought to help in memory consolidation.
NREM Stage 3 (N3):
Also referred to as slow-wave sleep (SWS) or deep sleep, N3 is the deepest stage of NREM sleep. It’s characterized by slow brain waves called delta waves. This phase is vital for physical restoration, repair, and recovery. During N3, the body repairs tissues, muscles grow, and the immune system strengthens.
The deep sleep stage supports memory consolidation and enhances learning, playing a crucial role in cognitive functions and overall well-being.
The NREM stages progress in cycles throughout the night, with N3 sleep being most prominent in the initial sleep cycles and gradually decreasing in duration as the night progresses. These stages are fundamental for restoring the body physically and mentally, aiding in memory, learning, and overall health.
Rapid Eye Movement (REM) Sleep
REM Sleep:
Characterized by rapid eye movements, increased heart rate, and irregular breathing, REM sleep is where the brain activity surges. During this stage, the brain consolidates memories, processes emotions, and supports learning. Infants spend a significant amount of time in REM sleep, more than adults.
A typical sleep cycle comprises 4-5 cycles, each lasting approximately 90-110 minutes. REM periods increase in duration throughout the night, while time spent in deep sleep decreases progressively in later cycles.
How Much Deep Sleep Should You Get Every Night?
Adults typically need around 1.5 to 2 hours of deep sleep per night for optimal rest and recovery. This deep sleep, also known as slow-wave sleep (SWS) or NREM Stage 3, provides much-needed physical restoration, memory consolidation, and overall well-being.
What Happens When You Don’t Get Enough Deep Sleep?
Insufficient deep sleep significantly impacts various aspects of health:
- Mood and Emotional State: Sleep deprivation leads to increased irritability and mood swings, and can exacerbate depression and anxiety. Missed deep sleep causes you to oversleep in the morning. As a result, you wake up feeling tired and irritable, which is one of the significant oversleeping side effects.
- Memory and Cognitive Function: According to a study published in the Brain Sciences Journal, the glymphatic system optimally functions during deep sleep. The system removes toxins from the brain, impacting our cognitive function.
- Neurological Conditions: Disruptions in deep sleep could advance neurological conditions like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Research published in the Journal of Parkinson’s Disease found that having more deep sleep (SWS) and stronger brain wave patterns during deep sleep (higher delta spectral power) might help people with Parkinson’s Disease perform better mentally.
- Physical Health: As per a study published in Sleep Medicine Reviews, SWS sleep, also known as deep sleep, plays a role in various neurophysiological phenomena, including memory, immunity, and glucose metabolism. Sleep deprivation negatively impacts blood sugar regulation and cardiovascular health. Long-term effects include obesity, diabetes, and hypertension.
- Coordination and Accident Risk: Sleep deprivation delays body signals, reducing coordination and increasing the risk of accidents.
- Decision-making and Creativity: Poor sleep compromises decision-making and creativity.
- Hallucinations and Mania: Prolonged sleep deprivation, especially in individuals with existing mental health conditions, can lead to hallucinations and mania.
Tips for Getting More Deep Sleep
Mouthpiece Device
People missing out on deep sleep due to sleep apnea or snoring can use mouthpieces for relief. You can enjoy a deep, sound sleep with Vitalsleep, the best mouthpiece for sleep apnea. It is designed to elevate the quality of your rest by keeping the airway open for easy breathing.
Unmatched in its ability to optimize comfort, the VitalSleep mouthpiece ensures a restful, uninterrupted journey into deep sleep, where the body rejuvenates, memories solidify, and vitality is restored. We highly recommend experiencing the transformative potential of Vitalsleep for comfortable sleep that redefines the essence of restfulness.
Adopt Healthy Lifestyle Habits & Discipline
Consistency in routine leads to profound sleep and overall sleep quality. Adhering to a fixed bedtime and wake-up time and adequate nap duration synchronizes the body’s internal clock. This regularity cultivates a sense of sleep regularity and predictability, crucial for initiating and maintaining deep sleep phases.
Moreover, incorporating calming activities into your pre-sleep rituals, such as meditation or gentle stretching exercises, serves as an effective stress reducer. Lowering stress levels before bedtime aids in preparing the body and mind for rest, facilitating a smoother transition into deeper sleep cycles.
Lifestyle factors have a substantial influence on the depth of sleep. Heightened stress levels often disrupt sleep patterns, diminishing the duration of deep sleep.
Dietary choices play a pivotal role; avoiding heavy meals close to bedtime and curbing intake of saturated fats and sugars can significantly bolster sleep quality. A study from the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine highlights a correlation between a diet rich in saturated fats and sugars and a decrease in restorative sleep.
Crafting a sleep environment acts as another catalyst for deep sleep. Eliminating potential disruptions and maintaining a comfortable ambiance, with suitable temperatures, humidity levels, and subdued lighting, fosters an environment conducive to slipping into deep sleep.
Avoid Benzodiazepines
While benzodiazepines offer relief for anxiety, insomnia, and seizures, they come with potential side effects. These effects span both the physical and mental domains. You might wake up still tired after sleeping through the night, feel drowsy, and have an increased risk of falls due to impaired coordination.
Ceasing benzodiazepines can also initiate withdrawal symptoms, such as agitation, tremors, and sleep disturbances. Beyond immediate side effects, their extended use may pose health risks. A study published in Neurology International concludes that one of the taxing side effects of benzodiazepines is that they can be addictive.
The interaction of benzodiazepines with other medications, coupled with the risk of dependence and withdrawal, necessitates careful consideration before use.
Consider Speaking to a Healthcare Provider
If you’re not seeing improvements in your deep sleep despite trying the mentioned methods, consider talking to a healthcare provider. They can offer tailored advice and solutions to address any underlying issues affecting your sleep. Whether it’s stress, lifestyle factors, or sleep disorders hindering your rest, a healthcare professional can offer targeted solutions.
How Much Sleep Do Each People Need Every Day?
| Infants | 12-16 hours |
| Toddlers | 11-14 hours |
| Children | 9-12 hours |
| Teenagers | 8-10 hours |
| Young Adults | 7-9 hours |
| Adults | 7-9 hours |
| Seniors | 7-8 hours |
The sleep duration recommendations set by the National Sleep Foundation vary according to specified age groups: while newborns, infants, and toddlers need 12 to 17 hours of sleep daily, 10-13 hours suffice for preschoolers. Older children should sleep for 6-12 hours, while teenagers should get at least 13-18 hours of shut-eye.
In the adult group, those aged 18-60 years should get 7-9 hours of sleep, while seniors should get quality sleep of 7-8 hours per day.
These recommendations are like a guide for people who are generally healthy and don’t have sleep problems. Some individuals might naturally need a bit more or less sleep. If someone constantly sleeps way more or less than the normal range, it could be a sign of serious health issues and might affect their overall health and well-being.
