Deep sleep is the third sleep stage preceding REM sleep. It triggers a brainwave slowdown with enhanced metabolic activity, stimulating your pituitary gland to release human growth hormone and kicking your metabolism into action.
Deep sleep is the most crucial sleep stage because it maintains brain/body functions, making you feel more rested and healthier, while REM sleep has less effect on your health.
Thanks to scientific research, we know deep sleep plays a critical role in hormone regulation, immunity, learning and memory, metabolism, sex drive, self-esteem, and the clearing of waste products from the brain with cerebrospinal fluid.
Not getting enough deep sleep has been linked to various health concerns, such as difficulty focusing, heart conditions, diabetes, migraines, high blood pressure and stroke, and obesity.
Suffice it to say – deep sleep is essential!
So, what can you do to get more deep sleep? Here are five top tips:
Exercise regularly
Regular exercise puts you in a better place to get more deep sleep. Regular physical activity helps to relax and soothe the mind and body before bed, allowing you to fall asleep faster and reach the deeper stages more quickly.
Research indicates that being more active can help you sleep better, with strength training an excellent activity for better sleep.
Reduce stress levels
High stress levels can interfere with your sleep, resulting in fewer or shallower amounts of deep and REM sleep. Incorporating de-stressing activities like yoga or meditation can help you reach deeper sleep.
Other ways to reduce stress include:
- Spend more time in nature.
- Go for walks.
- Limit screen time.
- Practice mindfulness exercises.
- Don’t sweat the small things.
- Listen to calming music or nature sounds.
- Get a hobby.
- Spend time with people who make you laugh.
Remember – reducing stress is good for your sleep and your mental health!
Create a good sleep environment.
If your bedroom temperature is too hot or cold, or you’re sleeping on an uncomfortable mattress, it can impede your ability to reach deep sleep. Read our mattress buyer’s guide for help choosing a mattress.
Consider investing in a comfortable mattress, bedding, and blackout curtains to block out light and white noise to mask distracting sounds.
Avoid stimulants close to bedtime.
Stimulants such as caffeine can give you a quick energy pick-me-up, but they also cause your brain to stay alert and awake, preventing you from reaching deep sleep.
For more deep sleep, it is best to avoid caffeine six hours before bedtime and alcohol and sugary foods or drinks four hours before bedtime.
Keep to a sleep schedule.
Make sure to go to bed and wake up simultaneously every day. This will help to regulate your body clock and help you get a whole night of restful sleep with all its stages.
Note that you probably won’t fall asleep at the same time every night – but getting up at the same time will help even things out.
Minimise distractions to reduce wakefulness
The biggest killer of deep sleep is waking up during the night and being unable to fall asleep again. While this can happen spontaneously, wakefulness can also be caused by loud noises, bad dreams, anxiety, and needing the loo.
There are a few things you can do to minimise wakefulness:
- Go to the loo just before you close your eyes.
- Use a duvet appropriate for the season so you don’t get too hot or cold.
- Use earplugs to drown out ambient noise and snoring partners.
- Buy blackout curtains.
- Avoid screens to reduce blue light exposure (this stunts melatonin release).
Summing up
Deep sleep is a vitally important stage of sleep. By exercising regularly, reducing stress levels, creating a good sleep environment, avoiding stimulants and sugar close to bedtime, keeping a sleep schedule, and minimising distractions, you can achieve more deep sleep and enjoy better mental and physical health.