5 Golden Tips: How To Improve Deep Sleep
Are you always hungry and feeling less focused? Pay attention — these are signs pointing to deep sleep deprivation. Getting adequate sleep is essential to support daily brain function and maintain your everyday health. But how much deep sleep is enough per day, and how do you increase deep sleep? We have got you covered in this article!
First, we will walk you through several stages of sleep to provide an understandable context of how deep sleep works. Then, we will explain the importance of deep sleep and offer exclusive tips on how to increase deep sleep. Let's jump right in!
What Are The Stages of Sleep?
A full sleep cycle lasts for approximately 90 minutes. An average adult gets 4-6 sleep cycles per 8 hours of nightly sleep. Each cycle comprises two primary phases: non-REM and REM sleep. Note that deep sleep occurs in the non-REM phrase.
Non-Rapid Eye Movement (Non-REM) Sleep
There are four stages in the non-REM phase.
In stages 1-2, you drift into sleep initially while your body temperature starts to fall, and so do your breathing rate and heart rate. The third and fourth stage is when deep sleep takes place, further contributing to lower heartbeat and breathing rates.
Rapid Eye Movement (REM) Sleep
During bedtime, your body goes through 3 non-REM stages, followed by 1 REM stage. This cycle repeats itself 4-6 times, each taking about 90-120 minutes. REM sleep begins when your body cycles out of deep sleep.
What Is Deep Sleep?
As discussed previously, deep sleep, also termed slow-wave sleep, is the third stage of non-REM sleep. Your brain waves drop to the lowest, and your breathing rate and heart rate decrease.
During deep sleep, your body secretes growth hormones essential for tissue repair and the proper functioning of the immune system. Meanwhile, deep sleep plays a vital role in regulating glucose metabolism and energy reserves.
An average healthy adult cycles through deep sleep for 1-2 hours amongst 8 hours of nightly sleep.
How To Improve Deep Sleep?
If your body demonstrates the above signs, it is high time that you devote more time to quality deep sleep for body recovery and brain health. Needless to say, the apparent shortcut to quality deep sleep is to sleep more! We have also concluded five valuable tips to improve your deep sleep. Read on!
Tip 1: Exercise Daily
It is no secret that regular workouts have physical and mental advantages. People who get into the habit of daily workouts drift to sleep faster than those not involved in sports. Physical exercises contribute to better sleep quality and increase the duration of deep sleep.
Tip 2: Embrace Healthy Diets
Healthy eating impacts not only weight but also the quality of sleep you get. Less carbohydrate and lipid intake can result in a more extended period of deep sleep. Make an effort to include more high-fibre food but fewer fats and sugars in your meal to improve deep sleep.
Tip 3: Say Goodbye to Caffeine Before Bed
Beverages such as coffee and tea, which are rich in caffeine, have a disruptive effect on your sleep. Caffeine is a potent stimulant that intends to keep you awake and make it harder for you to fall asleep initially. Consequently, avoiding caffeine at least seven hours before bedtime is crucial to improve deep sleep. Remember that coffee drinks mess up your sleep and make it more difficult for your body to enter the deep sleep phase.
Tip 4: Listen to White and Pink Noise
Besides caffeine, sound is another critical factor in improving deep sleep. Living in the heart of the hustle and bustle, getting exposed to ripples of sounds and noises is inevitable. Consider blocking these sounds with white noise to improve deep sleep. Additionally, listening to steady, tranquil pink noise — such as raindrops, crashing waves and rustling leaves — relaxes your mind, relieves stress and anxiety, and paves the way for improved deep sleep.
Final Tip: How To Improve Deep Sleep — Global Healing Supplements
Global Healing is best known for its natural sleep-healing supplements. It offers everything from organic herbal support, dietary vitamin and mineral supplements and natural energy boost to vitality booster to support restful sleep and, most importantly, to improve deep sleep. Some of the best-selling products in the Sleep & Stress Collection include but are not limited to:
1. Valerian - Global Healing
Providing organic, herbal support for restful sleep, Valerian can naturally help you relax, unwind, and fall asleep fast to get a full night's rest. It also enables you to stay asleep longer by combating an overactive mind and restless legs to improve deep sleep.
2. Tulsi/ Holy Basil - Global Healing
As a certified organic supplement for stress relief, it has adaptogenic properties that encourage a healthy response to stress. Plus, it boosts natural energy production and promotes mental well-being for a better sleep state, improving deep sleep in the long run.
All products from Global Healing are vegan, natural, and gluten-free to cater to all different dietary requirements. Visit Global Healing’s website today to learn more about our products and shop our full range of high-quality supplements.