“How do I get more deep sleep?” you might ask. The first step is to understand how sleep works. There are two stages of sleep: non-REM and REM. During the non-REM stage, our breathing and heart rate slow down, eye movements stop, and muscles relax. This is the best time for our body to restore and strengthen its immune system. Non-REM sleep can be divided into three stages: light, deep, and deeper sleep.
What is REM sleep, then? REM sleep is rapid eye movement sleep. According to the Mayo Clinic's Center for Sleep Medicine, we spend about 20 percent of our sleep in REM sleep. It’s the time when we dream.
So, how do you get more deep sleep? Follow these gradual steps to sleep well tonight, tomorrow, and forever!
Sleep eight or more hours every night and maintain a sleep schedule
As obvious as it might sound, sleeping just five or six hours a night is harmful to our bodies. Not only do our reproductive and immune systems suffer, but also cancer-killer cells are reduced by 70%. And it’s only after one night of four to five hours of sleep.
To achieve the aim of eight hours of sleep, you should start going to bed at the same time every night. This way, your body can quickly adjust to changes in sleep patterns. Take up a habit of falling asleep and waking up early, and such a sleep schedule will increase your productivity at school, university, or work.
The last tip is to use the "magic window" of sleep, which is a time between 10:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m. During this period, our bodies produce the highest levels of hormones like melatonin and human growth hormone. Thus, resting at this time can offer restorative sleep.
Find out more about healthy sleeping habits in our summary of Sleep Smarter. Some of them will also be mentioned further.
Make use of light to improve your deep sleep
You don’t really need to go to great lengths to boost the quality of your deep sleep. The only thing you should do is to make sure your body gets enough bright light in the morning. So, take a walk between 6 and 8:30 a.m. What happens then? Your body is able to produce melatonin in the evening, which will make you fall asleep and enjoy deep sleep.
Alongside exposing ourselves to sunlight, we should reduce our exposure to blue light from phone or laptop screens. The reason for that is that this light can slow down the release of melatonin. This is a Technology Paradox — we learn a lot about sleep online, but at the same time, constant reading of the news or scrolling the feed deprives us of sleep. But if you still want to entertain yourself before sleep, opt for a book or meditation. Find more details in The Sleep Revolution by Arianna Huffington.
P.S. You could also buy blackout blinds. Melatonin levels can be reduced by more than 50% if there is light in a bedroom.
Create a sleep sanctuary
How often do you open a window in your bedroom? It’s time to think about this because improving air quality in the place where we sleep improves the quality of our sleep. People say that plants are the lungs of our planet, but they can very much become the lungs of your bedroom. To get more deep sleep, you need to increase oxygen levels in your room. Start with buying English Ivy or Sansevieria. These plants convert carbon dioxide into oxygen and replenish the air's ions.
The most important thing in building your sleep sanctuary is to draw a line between work and rest. Don’t make work calls, check emails, or finish work projects in your bedroom, as it can increase cortisol levels and make it harder for you to fall asleep.
Keep your body healthy
Quite naturally, the things we do during the day affect our night’s rest. One of many ways to conquer bad sleep is to exercise. You don’t have to push yourself to the limit, choose cycling, dancing, or a brisk walk. When we exercise even a little bit, our muscles develop tiny tears that trigger the release of anabolic hormones. They help repair the body and lead to deeper sleep.
Continue your journey to a better deep sleep by taking magnesium supplements. What does it bring to the table? Well, firstly, magnesium relaxes muscles and optimizes blood pressure. Secondly, it balances blood sugar levels, resulting in a more relaxed state and better sleep quality. Apply magnesium to your skin in cream form to get the best use of it.
Avoid consuming caffeine and alcohol before sleep
Following the previous tips won’t be enough if you indulge in drinking cocktails or coffee late in the evening. You might say that alcohol makes you sleepy. It’s true that in the beginning, alcohol makes you fall asleep, but in the end, it leads to disrupted sleep later at night. If you still want to have a drink, avoid consuming liquor a few hours before bedtime. Also, try drinking a glass of water for every alcoholic beverage you have, as it can reduce the negative impact of alcohol.
As well as alcohol, caffeine decreases the quality of your sleep. It blocks adenosine, which promotes a person’s need to sleep. To put it simply, after 12 to 16 hours of being awake, we want to fall asleep, but caffeine obstructs this desire. Yes, you will feel energized for some time because caffeine stays in your system for 5-7 hours. The problem is that afterward, you might experience a "caffeine crash," which makes you extremely exhausted. Your best choice is to avoid consuming coffee in the late afternoon.
If you are still wondering, “How can I improve my sleep?” read our summary of Why We Sleep.
Keep things busy between the sheets
Can an orgasm help you sleep better? In fact, yes. Orgasms release oxytocin and serotonin, which have actually been shown to result in stress reduction as well as triggering the secretion of endorphins. Once these chemicals and hormones are combined, we can nod off more easily.
Either you do it alone or your partner helps you, reaching orgasm will definitely increase your sleep quality. For those who don’t sleep alone, check out Sharing the Covers by Wendy M. Troxel.
Remember that incorporating the right sleeping habits can help you get more deep sleep. And if you are reading this article after 10 p.m., get ready for sleep, read a book, close the curtains, and put your phone away. Start improving your sleep today!
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