Herbie Murray
Deep sleep is a stage in the sleep cycle that is necessary for proper brain function and memory. Most people need 7-9 hours of sleep per night, but the amount of deep sleep needed is more complex. Sleep cycles last around 90-120 minutes, and people cycle through them 4-5 times every night. During deep sleep, the body repairs and regrows tissues, builds bone and muscle, and strengthens the immune system.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of sleep cycles per night | 4-5 |
| Number of NREM sleep stages | 3 |
| Number of REM sleep stages | 1 |
| Sleep cycle duration | 90-110 minutes |
| Deep sleep duration | 105-120 minutes |
| Deep sleep as a percentage of total sleep | 70% |
| Deepest sleep as a percentage of total sleep | 25% |
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What You'll Learn
Deep sleep is necessary for proper brain function and memory
Deep sleep is characterised by very slow breathing and heart rate, and relaxed muscles. It is difficult to wake someone up during this stage, and they may feel mentally foggy for up to an hour after being woken.
The amount of deep sleep you get can be tracked using a sleep tracker. If you are not getting enough deep sleep, you may feel sleepy during the day and be more prone to physical and mental health issues.
There is no way to force your brain into deep sleep, but there are strategies to increase your chances of getting a good night's rest. These include establishing regular sleep-wake habits, ensuring your bedroom is quiet and comfortable, leaving devices outside the room, and creating a relaxing bedtime routine.
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Deep sleep is harder to achieve as the night wears on
Deep sleep is a stage in the sleep cycle necessary for proper brain function and memory. Most people need 7-9 hours of sleep per night, but working out how much deep sleep you need is more complex. The two main categories of sleep are rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and non-REM sleep, and each has important stages. People in good health will cycle through these stages in a somewhat regular pattern as they sleep, and a full night's rest means cycling through these stages a few times before waking up.
A person cycles through these stages 4-5 times every night. Each cycle lasts around 90-110 minutes. The first REM stage is short, but as sleep progresses it gets longer compared with NREM. If you sleep for 7-8 hours, the time spent in your deepest sleep should be around 105-120 minutes or one and three-quarters to 2 hours.
You can't force your brain to go into deep sleep, but there are various strategies that may help you get the right amount of quality sleep. Sleep trackers may help you track your sleep patterns and see how much light, REM, and deep sleep you are getting.
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Deep sleep is necessary for tissue repair and immune system strengthening
A person cycles through the stages of sleep 4-5 times every night. The stages cycle in this order: N1, N2, N3, N2, REM. Each cycle lasts around 90-110 minutes. The first REM stage is short, but as sleep progresses, it gets longer compared to NREM.
Most people need 7-9 hours of sleep per night, but the amount of deep sleep needed is more complex. If you're sleeping for 7-8 hours per night but are not waking up feeling refreshed, you may not be getting enough deep sleep.
Deep sleep is a stage in the sleep cycle necessary for proper brain function and memory. During deep sleep, body functions like breathing and heart rate are also very slow, and your muscles are relaxed. It can be difficult for someone to wake you up, and waking up out of deep sleep may make you feel mentally foggy for up to an hour.
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Deep sleep is difficult to wake up from
Deep sleep is a stage in the sleep cycle necessary for proper brain function and memory. Most people need 7-9 hours of sleep per night, but the amount of deep sleep needed is more complex. A person cycles through the stages of sleep 4-5 times every night, and each cycle lasts around 90-120 minutes. If you sleep for 7-8 hours, you should spend around 105-120 minutes in your deepest sleep. However, this deep sleep won't be all in one stage, and you will cycle in and out of it.
You can't force your brain to go into deep sleep, but there are strategies to help you get the right amount of quality sleep. These include tracking your sleep patterns with a sleep tracker, and following tips to improve your sleep hygiene, such as establishing regular sleep-wake habits, ensuring your sleeping space is quiet and comfortable, leaving devices outside the room, and creating a bedtime routine to help you relax before sleep.
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Deep sleep is harder to achieve if you're not getting enough sleep overall
Typically, you descend into deep sleep within an hour of falling asleep, and experience progressively shorter periods of deep sleep as the night wears on. If you're not getting enough sleep overall, you're likely missing out on some of these deep sleep cycles, which can leave you feeling mentally foggy and more prone to physical and mental health issues.
Most people need 7-9 hours of sleep per night, and if you're not getting this amount, you may not be getting enough deep sleep. For example, if you're sleeping for 7-8 hours per night but are not waking up feeling refreshed, you may need more deep sleep.
You can't force your brain to go into deep sleep, but there are some strategies that may help you get the right amount of quality sleep. These include establishing regular sleep-wake habits, ensuring your sleeping space is quiet and comfortable, leaving devices outside the room, and creating a bedtime routine to help you relax before sleep.
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Frequently asked questions
A person cycles through the stages of sleep 4-5 times every night. Each cycle lasts around 90-120 minutes.
Most people need 7-9 hours of sleep per night, but the amount of deep sleep you need depends on various factors. If you're sleeping for 7-8 hours per night but are not waking up feeling refreshed, you may not be getting enough deep sleep.
During deep sleep, your body repairs and regrows tissues, builds bone and muscle, and strengthens the immune system. Deep sleep is also necessary for proper brain function and memory.
