How to Increase Deep Sleep

3 mins to read

Lowering your body temperature is a crucial step for deep sleep, where diets low in fibre and high in saturated fat may decrease deep and restorative sleep.

Wellbeing newsStress relief & sleep support

What is deep sleep?

When we sleep, there are four stages our brain goes through. Every sleep stage is essential and has a purpose. However, the stage of deep sleep is vital to provide the repairing benefits necessary to help you feel your best each day.

The four sleep stages are non-rapid eye movement (NREM) 1, 2, and 3, and REM. It usually takes between 90 and 120 minutes to cycle through all four stages; an average night's sleep consists of four to six sleep cycles.

You spend more time in the NREM sleep stage early in your sleep. However, as the night continues, more time is spent in the REM sleep stage. 

It is Stage 3 NREM, where we reach "deep sleep," and it is when it is harder to wake up. Brain waves are at the slowest in frequency during this time. You usually fall into a deep sleep within an hour of falling asleep. As the night progresses, you will experience shorter periods of deep sleep. During the REM sleep stage, the eyes move quickly beneath your eyelids, breathing becomes fast, and brain activity is similar to when you are awake. REM stands for rapid eye movement. This is the cycle when dreaming happens. The cycles of REM sleep increase in length as the night goes on.

Elina Winnel, Emma mattress's local sleep expert, is certified in Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) and Hypnotherapy. She says, "During deep sleep, we are very relaxed, and our breathing and heartbeat slow down. In this phase, the body and the immune system regenerate, growth hormones are released, and we process memories from the day." According to the Sleep Foundation, this stage also helps to build and repair muscles, bones, and tissue. It is an important stage for cognitive function and is believed to play a role in language learning.

If you don't get enough deep sleep, fatigue, issues with memory recall, and difficulty learning can occur. The Sleep Foundation also reports that the brain evaluates new memories and keep only the ones that are most relevant. The foundation notes that sleep deprivation is associated with hormonal changes that can increase your appetite for high-calorie food.

How to increase deep sleep

Pre-bedtime routine and sleep hygiene

Winnel says, "Lowering your body temperature is a crucial step for the deep sleep phase. Having a hot shower 60-90 minutes before bed can help to change your body's core temperature so that you go to bed with a lower temperature. This drop signals to our bodies that it's time for bed. Breathable and temperature regulating bedding materials are essential for creating an ideal sleeping climate".

"Other tips include having good sleep hygiene, such as creating a sleep routine and sticking to it, maintaining a consistent bedtime and wake up time, creating a restful sleep environment that is cool, dark, and quiet, as well as doing a calming and relaxing activity before bed such as deep breathing or meditation."

Nutrition 

The National Sleep Foundation reports that diets low in fibre and high in saturated fat may decrease the deep, restorative sleep you'll get. 

If you need a snack before bedtime, consider complex carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, or whole-wheat toast, which digest quickly. Consume a high-fibre diet with fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat proteins. The foundation suggests avoiding foods with added or high sugars as this can cause you to wake up during the night. Look for foods high in B vitamins. Foods rich in B vitamins include fish, lean poultry and meat, legumes, eggs, and dairy.

Bedding

Melanie McAuliffe, a physiotherapist, discusses pillows to assist with a good night's sleep. "Many people have a bad night's sleep due to an uncomfortable pillow. There's no 'one size fits all', and problems with joint stiffness, and muscle spasms in the neck or shoulders, can affect this". However, these parameters as the most important.

The height of the unloaded central part of the pillow should be between 7 and 10cm.
The pillow material is made of latex and holds its shape.
Use a contoured shaped pillow to support back and side sleepers.
It has a cooling surface or membrane over the pillow.

Sounds to tune in to

According to the Sleep Health Foundation, limited research suggests listening to delta wave binaural beats may help produce delta waves in the brain. These waves may subsequently assist with getting into stage 3 deep sleep.

Exercise regularly

Additional steps to encourage more deep sleep include exercising regularly.

Reduce caffeine intake later in the day 

It also helps to avoid caffeine in the afternoon and evening. While caffeine may be great in the morning for its ability to increase energy and alertness, this will not help you sleep at night.