In our society in search of optimization, sleep has become a real issue of well-being. With the proliferation of gadgets to monitor and improve our rest, it’s easier than ever to track our sleep hours.
Yet, despite all these efforts, a large number of us remain deprived of deep sleep, the most restorative phase for our brain and our body. So how much time should we really spend in deep sleep, and how do we get there?
The importance of sleep on the brain
Sleep consists of several phases, including rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and deep sleep, or slow-wave sleep. The latter is distinguished by slow, synchronized brain waves, which play a crucial role in tissue repair, memory processing and hormone regulation.
According to Professor Russell Foster, specialist in sleep neuroscience interviewed by The Telegraph“the brain places particular importance on deep sleep”. Indeed, after deprivation, our body compensates by increasing the duration and intensity of this phase the following night.
10 to 20% of the night
Deep sleep is only part of the recommended 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night. In general, adults spend about 10 to 20% of their night in deep sleep, or about 1 to 2 hours, especially in the first half of the night.
This phase of sleep tends to decrease with age, which explains why younger adults often enjoy better physical and mental rest than older adults.
So, how can you increase your chances of sleeping soundly?
Although the “tips” to promote this type of sleep are limited, certain habits can contribute to better overall sleep quality. Maintaining regular bedtimes, avoiding the consumption of stimulants late in the day, and limiting sources of blue light before bed are recommended practices.
Physical exercise, practiced during the day, also seems to promote deep sleep. For example, one study showed that older adults who practiced 45 minutes of aerobics three times a week benefited from a better quality of deep sleep.