There is no need to say much about the benefits of a good night's rest, which is an important component of the life of any individual. A person tired during the day dreams of getting home as quickly as possible and, having said hello to his soft pillow, finds himself in the kingdom of Morpheus.
Sleep is our adaptation to the real world. Thanks to sleep, our internal resources and the strength spent during the day are restored, and mental, physical and emotional performance is maintained at the proper level. A person who has no problems with sleep at night feels rested in the morning and is completely ready to conquer new heights.
Sleep consists of several phases and stages of electrical activity in our brain, which clearly and consistently replace each other. Surprisingly, only developed warm-blooded animals (mammals, birds) are able to sleep the way people do.
Deep sleep, which is one of the stages of slow-wave sleep, is responsible for the recovery processes occurring in the body during a night's rest. What is deep sleep? What changes occur in the human body during deep sleep? How long should deep sleep last and can it be increased? Today we will discuss these and other important issues regarding deep sleep and its effect on our body.
Deep sleep: what is it?
Deep sleep (“slow wave sleep”, “delta sleep”, “orthodox sleep”) is a stage of slow sleep, during which certain recovery processes occur in the body. Each person has his own individual version of deep sleep, which is formed on the basis of the following data: general health, level of mental and physical fatigue, weight, age, gender, presence/absence of bad habits, etc.
During deep sleep, brain activity slows down significantly and the level of muscle activity decreases. A sleeping person does not react to odors and other external stimuli. Recently, scientists were able to prove that during deep sleep our brain does not turn off completely, as previously stated, but is engaged in processing information that it received throughout the day.
How can you determine that a sleeping person is in deep sleep? This can be done using an electroencephalogram and delta waves, which will be released on it during deep sleep. Delta waves, which arise due to the special activity of our brain, are somewhat reminiscent of the slow and calm waves of the ocean that immerse a sleeping person in a magical world of dreams.
Circadian rhythms: night for sleep, day for work
- Scientifically, the biological clock is the suprachiasmatic nuclei in the brain. Every cell and even individual molecule in the nucleus knows that there are 24 hours in a day. The point is that they not only remember, but also maintain the same daily rhythm.
- For suprachiasmatic nuclei, illumination is the main signal. They are directly connected to the visual center. When it gets dark, the cells in the nuclei receive a signal to put all other systems in the body to sleep. And, on the contrary, the sun has risen, which means it’s time to wake up.
- The biological clock can be adjusted, but within a couple of hours. For the brain, frequent changes in rhythms are traumatic; an example of this is jet lag - a depressed state and insomnia after changing time zones.
- The chronotype is a system of suprachiasmatic nuclei. It is determined by our genes: some people are indeed born more of a lark than an owl. But this only affects how quickly you get up with the sun and how traumatic a night without sleep is for you.
How does deep sleep affect how you feel after waking up?
The more the sleeper is in a state of deep sleep during the night's rest, the better and healthier he feels after waking up. A person who does not experience any problems with the duration of this phase of sleep, the level of physical endurance and mental activity increases noticeably. Such an individual feels full of strength and energy throughout the day, he quickly and efficiently solves the tasks assigned to him, and does not experience any difficulties with orientation in time and space.
A lack of deep sleep negatively affects immunity, nervous system function, concentration, coordination and appearance. An individual who did not fully rest at night looks tired and broken in the morning, has a rumpled appearance, gets tired quickly, and cannot concentrate his attention on the tasks assigned to him. For such a person, the risk of catching an infectious or cold disease increases several times!
Many people who have problems with deep sleep develop apnea syndrome (during sleep, breathing stops for several tens of seconds). If a person regularly experiences a lack of deep sleep, then he experiences serious disruptions in the functioning of the endocrine system. The body stops producing growth hormone. This can cause the development of obesity in people who have problems with excess weight.
Deep sleep is also characterized by manifestations of sleepwalking, nightmares and other mental disorders. In such cases, waking up a person during deep sleep is strictly prohibited, otherwise it will negatively affect his well-being and will only worsen his mental disorder.
Causes of insomnia
Women usually suffer from insomnia; the stronger sex faces the problem much less often. Pregnant women experience difficulty falling asleep in 75% of cases. In representatives of the fair half of humanity, against the background of menopause, hormonal changes affect the functioning of the thyroid gland, which becomes active in the evening and at night. As a result, tachycardia, excessive sweating and, as a result, sleep problems may occur.
Insomnia can appear for various reasons, some of which are related to how a person lives:
- uncomfortable environment (if noise is heard during sleep, lights are on, movement occurs, or sleep occurs in an uncomfortable bed);
- stress (this includes unnecessary mental stress, stressful situations, as well as a change in environment to an uncomfortable one);
- changing time zones, night duty;
- various types of mental disorders, including depression and anxiety;
- consumption of substances that act on the psyche, such as alcohol, nicotine, large quantities of caffeine, nootropics, antipsychotics and sedatives;
- pregnancy (due to the enlargement of the fetus, many changes occur in a woman’s body, resulting in physical discomfort and difficulties with the respiratory and nervous systems).
Duration of deep sleep
The duration of deep sleep varies for each person, because it directly depends on the individual characteristics of the body. For one individual, 4-5 hours of sleep is enough to fully rest and wake up refreshed, while for another, 8-9 hours is not enough so as not to feel exhausted and squeezed like a lemon in the morning.
Deep sleep lasts longer for a person who has just fallen asleep than for a person who needs to wake up soon. In the first cycle, slow-wave sleep takes about 80-100 minutes, in subsequent cycles its duration decreases.
Scientists say that deep sleep in an average adult should occupy from 30% to 70% of the entire night's rest. Each person has their own biological rhythms, so it is impossible to name the exact time for a specific person.
Thanks to experimental work, scientists were able to determine average time indicators.
- People under 30 years old need 120 minutes of deep sleep for proper rest.
- people from 35 to 60 years old – 80-85 minutes,
- people over 60 years old – 75-80 minutes.
Habits for falling asleep
- It is important for the brain to distinguish day from night at the level of reflexes. Evening rituals can help him with this: dim lights, monotonous tasks, a ventilated room, an English textbook on the nightstand.
- The bed always hints at sleep. If you eat or work in bed, your brain gets out of the habit of sleeping there.
- Sleeping for an hour during the day is not fatal, but there is no benefit. The brain has just entered the dreaming stage, and it is already being undermined. You can take a 20-30 minute nap if you need a little pick-me-up. Or sleep a full cycle of 1.5 hours and subtract this time from your night's sleep.
- The mattress is important. Don't skimp on it.
- Thick curtains greatly help in quality sleep.
What happens to the body during deep sleep?
During deep sleep, energy accumulates in the human body and new cellular structures are formed. These processes, which are restorative in nature, take place in the body only when it is at rest. If a person has certain problems with this stage of sleep, then his body does not fully recover, which negatively affects the well-being of such an individual.
During delta sleep, consciousness completely switches off, breathing becomes arrhythmic, shallow and rare, heart rate quickens, and the galvanic skin response noticeably increases.
If you wake up a person during deep sleep, he will not remember anything and will say that he did not see any dreams, did not feel anything, and did not have and do not have any thoughts in his head.
How to increase the duration of deep sleep?
There are many ways to increase the duration of this stage of sleep. Let's look at the most effective of them.
Method No. 1. Reconsider your lifestyle
A sedentary and sedentary lifestyle negatively affects the quality of sleep. To make deep sleep last longer, start taking care of yourself: give up alcoholic drinks, cigarettes, fatty, spicy, sweet and high-calorie foods, exercise regularly, spend more time in the fresh air, ventilate the bedroom before bed.
Very often, sources of noise and other distractions prevent us from fully resting. If you live in a noisy place and you have no way to influence the noise level, then buy earplugs.
Method No. 2. Get rid of bright light sources
Bright light sources negatively affect the quality of sleep. TVs, computers, smartphones, tablets and other gadgets have become a part of our lives. But if you want to increase the duration of delta sleep so that you feel alert and rested in the morning, then at least 1.5-2 hours before going to bed, get rid of these sources of bright light.
Are you used to falling asleep with your phone or tablet in your hands? Can't sleep without TV? Give up these bad habits, otherwise your body will not be able to fully prepare for a night's rest.
Method number 3. Go to bed at the same time every night
Experts recommend that people who want to increase the duration of deep sleep should fall asleep at the same time. Train yourself to go to bed at the same time on weekdays and weekends.
Once you get used to the regime, you will be surprised to notice that your sleep problems have disappeared without a trace! People who have learned to go to the kingdom of Morpheus at the same time note that now in the morning they feel much better and more energetic than when they did not have such a habit.
Method number 4. Avoid late dinners and workouts
Life in the modern world dictates its own conditions and not always throughout the day we have the opportunity to eat normally or go to the gym. But it has long been proven that late dinners and going to the gym after work negatively affect the duration of deep sleep.
In order for your body to fully rest and recover at night, you should not actively exercise before bed or overeat at night. Therefore, avoid training and high-calorie foods 2-3 hours before going to bed.
Method No. 5. Introduce magnesium-containing foods into your diet
Magnesium not only normalizes the functioning of the nervous system and helps the body produce energy, but also has a positive effect on the duration and quality of deep sleep. Therefore, be sure to include plant foods in your diet that contain this beneficial microelement.
Nutritionists advise eating wheat bran, beans, walnuts, spinach, pumpkin seeds, almonds, peanuts, dried dates, sesame seeds, because these foods contain large quantities of magnesium.
Method number 6. Do not be nervous
The funny saying that all diseases arise from nerves, and some from love, is not as far from the truth as we would like it to be. The more nervous and worried we are, the more negatively this affects not only our general health, but also the quality of deep sleep.
How can you reduce the amount of stress if you have to live not in a good fairy tale, but in a reality that is far from perfect? This can be done through meditation. Meditation practices help not only calm the mind and organize the senses, but also increase the duration of deep sleep.
Method No. 7. Take a hot bath
If you take a hot bath before going to bed, you can significantly increase the duration of deep sleep. 30-40 minutes before you are supposed to go to bed, fill the bath with hot water. Turn out the bright lights, light candles, turn on relaxing music.
Keeping your back straight, sit in the bath. Sit in this position for 10-15 seconds, and then slowly and smoothly lower yourself into the water. Relax completely, close your eyes and think about something pleasant. If there are no pleasant thoughts in your head, then just start breathing with your stomach. During each inhalation, mentally say some pleasant and soothing word. Repeat this word as you exhale. Feel how your body is filled with peace and tranquility.
Do this for 10-15 minutes, then go to bed as soon as possible. Sound, calm and high-quality deep sleep is guaranteed to you!
We recommend: Relaxing music for sleep. Sounds of nature
Our channel: Yandex Zen
About the most valuable time for sleep and easy awakening
The most important recovery processes and restart of the central nervous system occur between 22:00 and 24:00. If you want to wake up rested and fresh, it is best to go to bed at this time. Going to bed after midnight is not recommended. Due to the lack of proper rest, the nervous system wears out faster, and irritability and nervousness appear.
It is best to wake up during the REM phase of sleep, when the body's sensitivity and activity increase. If you wake up at a slow stage, weakness and fatigue arise, which will accompany the person throughout the whole day. To calculate your ideal time to wake up, you can use a sleep sensor or fitness bracelet. These devices analyze your pulse, blood pressure and heart rate and tell you the time when you can get up.
To summarize, it is worth emphasizing that getting enough hours of sleep is important, but the quality of sleep should also be good. You can sleep for 8 hours straight and wake up completely exhausted. Therefore, a light dinner, less active leisure time in the evening, fresh air and lack of light in the bedroom are what will help you sleep not only for a long time, but also soundly.
