Deep sleep is the phase of the sleep cycle when your body and brain are resting and recovering. During deep sleep, your heart rate is low, muscles are relaxing and brain waves are slow. It’s the sleep you get that allows you to feel refreshed when you wake up. It is important for several reasons, and hence you should aim to increase the amount of deep sleep you get.
Here are some tips on increasing and improving deep sleep:
Avoid screens before bedtime. Deep sleep occurs best when your brain and body are winding down and ready for bed. When you look at your phone in bed, your attention is not on sleep and rest, but on your screen. In order to rest better and give your body that time to switch off, avoid looking at screens for at least 1 hour before you sleep.
Try listening to calming sounds. Listening to calming sounds and soothing music is a great way to rest your brain and prime yourself for sleeping. It has a calming effect on your body, relaxing your mind and allowing your brain waves to slow down. Calming sounds such as waves on a beach, gentle rain, or a light breeze help promote deep sleep. By listening to soothing sounds before bed, you allow yourself to switch off and get into a better sleep rhythm.
Follow a sleep schedule. Getting better deep sleep relies on consistency. If you sleep at the same time every night, your body and brain will have a better sleep rhythm and feel more relaxed. The routine allows your body to regulate hormones better as well. As a result of the regular sleep pattern, your body will recharge and improve sleep quality as well.
Exercise regularly. Getting enough exercise everyday is good for your body and mind. It keeps your body healthy and your mind happy, thanks to the endorphins released when you exercise. However, exercising more than required and over-exerting yourself can lead to disturbed sleep. This is because your body temperature increases when you exercise. Post exercise, the temperature drops, promoting sleep. If you exercise too much or too close to bedtime, your body temperature may not be ideal for sleeping, and you’ll have distubed sleep. Exercise as much as you need, preferably during the day and you will feel refreshed.
Don’t overeat at night. Regulate the amount of food you eat at night. Large and heavy meals close to bedtime reduce the overall amount of sleep you get and this can adversely affect the quality of your deep sleep. Your food habits have a direct impact on your sleep and you should ensure to eat dinner at least 3 hours before bed for better deep sleep.
Deep sleep is a key part of your sleep cycle and you should do your best to sleep better and improve the amount of deep sleep you get. It will help you wake up feeling refreshed and help secure your memories!