No More Sleepless Nights: Here’s How To Get Deep Sleep

Achieving deep sleep shouldn’t feel like an impossible mission. But unfortunately, it indeed is a task for many. Even after a hectic day, people find it difficult to fall asleep, thanks to our modern-day hectic lifestyles and increased screen time. Do you ever find yourself counting sheep, tossing and turning in bed, and begging your brain to shut down and let you sleep? Yeah! We know that feeling, which is why we are here with the solutions you’ll need.

It’s time to stop the midnight-mind marathons and unlock the magical world of restful sleep. Let’s make those sleepless nights a thing of the past!

What is deep sleep?

You know that kind of sleep where you close your eyes for what feels like a second, and suddenly it’s morning? That’s deep sleep. Not the light tossing and turning kind; this is slow-wave, delta-level rest where your brain goes quiet and your body takes a proper breather. It’s the part of sleep where your body hits pause and everything goes quiet. When you are in this phase, your body shuts down to recharge, and you feel the most energetic and active the next morning.

What’s really happening in your sleep?

We all follow the same sleep cycle, but how long we spend in each stage varies from individual to individual and changes as we age. 

The cycle is divided into two main stages: Non-Rapid Eye Movement (NREM) sleep and Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep. NERM is further divided into three sub-stages. 

This cycle repeats 4 to 6 times a night, and a typical night of sleep involves cycling through these stages multiple times. Let’s get a deeper look at what happens at each stage.

1. Stage 1 NREM sleep

Stage 1 NREM sleep is like the quick dip before the real deep rest. You drift into it as soon as you fall asleep, and it’s over in a few minutes, making up about 5% of your sleep. After that, you move into stage 2 and head towards the more restful and deeper part, which we call deep sleep.

2. Stage 2 NREM sleep

Stage 2 is where your sleep gets a bit deeper. Your brain slows down, but it still has little bursts of electrical activity; kind of like it’s filing away memories from your day. This stage takes up 45% of your sleep time, and each round gets longer. After Stage 2, you either slip into deeper sleep (Stage 3) or float into REM.

3. Stage 3 NREM sleep

Stage 3 is the ultimate deep sleep, making up 25% of your night. Your brain waves slow down, letting your body repair and recharge. Without enough of this deep sleep, you’ll wake up feeling drained, even if you’ve slept for hours. That’s why your body grabs as much as it can early on. It’s the key to waking up truly refreshed.

4. REM (Rapid eye movement)

REM sleep is where the magic happens because this is where you dream. Your eyes move behind closed lids as your brain buzzes like it’s awake. It makes up about 25% of your sleep time. Since we are drawing in this stage, our body’s muscles become temporarily paralysed to prevent us from acting out the dreams.

Getting proper sleep involves experiencing all the stages. Every stage has its benefits, and they are equally important. It's vital to have a complete sleep pattern for a refreshing sleep.

Why skipping deep sleep could cost you more than you think

Sleep isn't a luxury; it’s essential for your mind and body to thrive. During the deep sleep phase, your brain turns everything that you’ve learned into long-term memories and fixes all the wear and tear from your busy day. Without enough of it, you’re unlikely to wake up feeling truly refreshed and ready to take on the world.

Miss out on your sleep, and you’re in for a rough ride. Mood swings and hormonal mayhem are just the start. Skipping sleep doesn’t just mess with your mood, it can wreck your physical and mental health too. Keep ignoring your sleep needs, and you could find yourself facing much bigger problems, like fatigue, depression, or even hallucinations. 

Reboot your body with deep sleep

After a long day, the one thing you truly need is a solid night’s rest to wake up feeling refreshed. Yet, often we trade sleep for work, doom-scrolling, or “just one more episode,” not realising how much better things could be the next morning with a little more shut-eye. 

Here are some of the benefits of deep sleep.

• It strengthens your body’s defences, making you less likely to catch that nasty cold.

• Helps fight off mood swings, reduces stress, and restores your body’s energy.

• Sharpens your decision-making and problem-solving skills, so you're always on top of your game.

• Surviving tough days, even after a scolding from the boss, becomes easier with deep sleep. Restful sleep boosts resilience, helping you stay calm and composed.

• Recharges your energy, so you’re spreading good vibes only.

• Deep sleep helps repair muscle tissue, replenish energy stores, and restore damaged cells, so you wake up ready to conquer the day.

Having trouble sleeping soundly? Let’s fix it!

If you’ve been wondering why you can’t get deep sleep at night, it’s time to uncover the common culprits behind your restless nights and, more importantly, how to fix them. 

Causes of sleepless nights

• Stress can make you stay up and find it difficult to sleep.

• An uncomfortable environment can prevent you from getting good-quality sleep.

• Beverages like coffee and tea are dear to our hearts. However, excessive consumption can be the cause of sleep deprivation due to caffeine content.

• Health conditions also affect sleep. Extreme pain and discomfort can make sleeping or staying asleep difficult.

• Ageing, sleep disorders, and even side effects of medications can make it difficult to fall asleep. 

Fixes

• Establish a bedtime routine
• Limit naps during the day
• Stay hydrated, but avoid too much water at night
• Block out unwanted light in the bedroom for deeper sleep
• Avoid heavy meals late at nightAvoid screentime at least 30 minutes before bedtime

Quick Explainer 

You need around 90 minutes to 2 hours of deep sleep each night.

Could you be sleeping too little?

You need around 90 minutes to 2 hours of deep sleep each night; that’s the sweet spot where your body gets to work behind the scenes, repairing, restoring, and resetting. It’s not about how long you sleep, but how deep you go. Without it, you’re just pretending to be awake the next day, while your brain quietly begs for a nap and your mood throws passive-aggressive tantrums.

Want deeper sleep? Try these science-backed tricks

Thanks to odd working hours, hectic urban lifestyles, and a bit too much binge-watching, we’re left struggling to get some sleep, let alone deep sleep. However, getting deep sleep is not as tough as it sounds. A few smart habit changes can reset your sleep game in no time.

Here’s what you need to do:  

• Avoid using smartphones or any type of screen time before bedtime

• Build a sleep environment that promotes comfortable sleep

• Make sure the room has no or minimal lights 

• Exercising and being active during the day can help you fall asleep in no time

• Follow a regular sleep schedule

• Avoid irregular and long daytime naps to improve sleep quality

It's time to catch some ZZZs

This was your guide to reclaiming the deep sleep you’ve been missing. It’s not about complex routines or gimmicks, just the simple art of being consistent. By following the above-mentioned lifestyle tweaks, you’ll soon discover that increasing deep sleep naturally isn’t so difficult after all. So fluff your pillows, dim the lights, and be lost in the good sleep realm.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why is my deep sleep so low?

Stress, irregular sleeping, alcohol consumption, and many other factors can be the reason for low deep sleep. 

2. What is the average deep sleep per night?

Deep sleep can be 10% to 25% of your overall night sleep. Hence, it depends on the amount of time you invest in sleeping. Usually, the average amount of deep sleep can be one to two hours if you sleep more than 7 hours. 

3. How many hours of deep sleep should I have?

Having 105 to 120 minutes of deep sleep will be sufficient for a healthy person. However, it may differ due to age and health conditions. 

4. How can I increase my deep sleep naturally?

Following the above-listed tips can help you get better sleep. Maintaining regular sleep and wake-up times can also increase the quality of your sleep. A better sleep schedule will result in better deep sleep time. 

Click here for medical advice disclaimer