How to Get More Deep Sleep: 9 Best Tips

Sleepers who get deep sleep wake up feeling refreshed. The benefits of deep sleep include repairing and regrowing bone and muscle, and strengthening your immune system. Deep sleep happens mostly in the first half of the night.

The tips in this article will help people get more deep sleep naturally, including setting a consistent sleep schedule, managing stress, relaxing, and avoiding caffeine and alcohol. If sleeping problems don’t get better after trying these tips, or if they bother people a lot, see a doctor.

How Much Deep Sleep Do I Need?

Deep sleep, also known as slow-wave sleep or stage 3 NREM sleep, is essential for physical and mental restoration. It is during this stage that the body repairs tissues, strengthens the immune system, and processes memories. 

Adults typically require about 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night, with 10% to 20% of that time spent in deep sleep . This translates to approximately 42 to 108 minutes of deep sleep each night. Several factors can influence how much deep sleep you need:

• Age: The amount of deep sleep decreases with age. Older adults may get less deep sleep, which can affect memory and physical health. Younger people typically require more deep sleep to support growth and development.
• Health Conditions: Certain conditions like Alzheimer’s disease or sleep disorders can reduce the amount of deep sleep.
• Lifestyle and Habits: Alcohol consumption, caffeine intake, and irregular sleep schedules can negatively impact deep sleep.

Benefits of Deep Sleep

Deep sleep, also known as slow-wave sleep, offers numerous benefits that are crucial for both physical and mental health.

• Tissue Repair and Growth: During deep sleep, the body repairs tissues and muscles, aiding in recovery and growth. This is partly due to the production of growth hormones during this sleep stage.
• Immune System Enhancement: Deep sleep strengthens the immune system by supporting the production of cytokines, which help the body fight off infections.
• Heart Health: Quality sleep helps in maintaining heart health by reducing blood pressure during the night, thus giving the heart and blood vessels a chance to rest.
• Blood Sugar Regulation: Deep sleep influences the regulation of insulin, the hormone that controls blood sugar levels. Adequate deep sleep can decrease the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by allowing the body to better regulate blood sugar levels.
• Weight Management: Proper sleep affects the levels of hormones that control appetite. Being well-rested can decrease appetite and help control weight, as sleep affects the production of leptin (appetite suppressor) and ghrelin (appetite stimulant).
• Memory and Learning: Sleep plays a significant role in memory consolidation, which is crucial for learning new information and skills. Deep sleep helps the brain process and store new knowledge, making it easier to recall later.
• Emotional and Mental Health: Adequate sleep is linked to better mood and emotional stability. It reduces the risk of mood disorders such as depression and anxiety by allowing the brain to process emotional information effectively.

Tips for Getting More Deep Sleep

1. Stick to a Regular Sleep Schedule

Your body operates on a circadian rhythm, an internal clock that regulates your sleep-wake cycle over a 24-hour period. This rhythm influences various bodily functions, including hormone release, body temperature, and sleep.

To get deeper sleep, it’s crucial to align your lifestyle with your body’s natural rhythms. This means going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, even on weekends. Consistency reinforces your body’s sleep-wake cycle and can help you fall asleep more easily and enjoy deeper sleep.

2. Get Sunlight in the Morning

Exposure to natural sunlight in the morning can significantly impact your sleep quality. Morning light exposure helps regulate your body’s circadian rhythm, making it easier to fall asleep at night. Sunlight triggers the release of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that boosts mood and helps regulate sleep patterns.

Moreover, exposure to natural light during the day increases the production of melatonin, a hormone that promotes sleep, in the evening. To maximize the benefits, try to get outside or sit near a window for 30-45 minutes within the first hour after waking up. This can help signal to your body that it’s time to be awake and active, setting you up for better sleep at night.

3. Avoid Naps

While napping can be beneficial for making up for lost sleep, it can also interfere with nighttime sleep, especially if taken late in the day or for long periods. Napping reduces your sleep drive, the natural accumulation of sleep-inducing chemicals in your brain, which can make it harder to fall asleep at night.

If you must nap, experts recommend keeping it short (10-20 minutes) and not too late in the day to avoid disrupting your nighttime sleep. This strategy, known as sleep consolidation or sleep restriction, can enhance the quality and depth of your nighttime sleep by building a stronger drive to sleep.

4. Check Medications that Interfere with Sleep

Certain medications can disrupt sleep patterns, leading to difficulties in falling asleep or staying asleep. Common culprits include:

• Antidepressants and Stimulants: Can cause insomnia or disturb sleep architecture.
• Blood Pressure Medications: Some heart medications can affect sleep by altering melatonin levels or causing nighttime awakenings.
• Decongestants and Diuretics: These can increase nighttime urination and interfere with falling asleep.

To mitigate these effects, consider discussing alternative medications with your healthcare provider, adjusting dosages, or timing the intake of these medications earlier in the day to minimize their impact on sleep. 

5. Limit Alcohol Consumption Before Bedtime

While alcohol may initially act as a sedative, helping you fall asleep faster, it significantly disrupts the sleep cycle as the night progresses. Alcohol consumption before bed can lead to a reduction in REM sleep, frequent awakenings, and a decrease in overall sleep quality.

It can also exacerbate sleep disorders such as insomnia and sleep apnea. Experts recommend stopping alcohol consumption at least 3 to 4 hours before bedtime to prevent sleep disruption.

6. Stop Using Electronic Devices Before Bedtime

Exposure to blue light from screens can suppress the natural production of melatonin, the hormone that signals your body it’s time to sleep. To avoid this, turn off electronic devices at least one hour before bedtime.

If you need to use devices at night, activate settings that minimize blue light exposure, such as “night mode” on smartphones and tablets.

7. Avoid Caffeine

Caffeine is a stimulant that can delay the onset of sleep and reduce the amount of deep, slow-wave sleep you get. It affects the brain by blocking adenosine receptors, which are involved in promoting sleepiness. To minimize its impact on sleep, it’s recommended to avoid caffeine at least 8 hours before bedtime.

In fact, even a moderate amount of caffeine consumed 6 hours before bedtime can significantly disrupt sleep, reducing total sleep time by more than 1 hour.

8. Keep a Comfortable Bedroom Environment for Sleep

Creating a sleep-conducive environment is crucial for deep sleep. This includes maintaining a cool, dark, and quiet bedroom. A comfortable mattress and pillows tailored to your preferences can also enhance sleep quality. Consider using blackout curtains, eye masks, and white noise machines if necessary to block out light and noise.

Moreover, establishing a relaxing pre-sleep routine, such as reading or listening to calming music, can signal to your body that it’s time to wind down and prepare for sleep.

9. Relaxing Exercises and Stress Management

Engaging in relaxation techniques before bedtime can significantly improve sleep quality by reducing stress and anxiety. Effective methods include:

• Deep Breathing: This simple technique involves slow, deep breaths to calm the mind and body.
• Progressive Muscle Relaxation: Tense and then relax different muscle groups to release physical tension.
• Meditation: Focus on your breath or a specific thought to quiet the mind.
• Yoga: Gentle yoga can soothe the nervous system and prepare the body for sleep.

These activities not only help in winding down at the end of the day but also enhance overall sleep quality by promoting relaxation and reducing nighttime awakenings.

Bottom Line

If you suspect that a sleep disorder is affecting your sleep quality, it’s important to seek professional help. Conditions like insomnia, sleep apnea, and restless legs syndrome can significantly impact your ability to achieve deep, restorative sleep.

A healthcare provider can diagnose these conditions and recommend appropriate treatments, which may include lifestyle changes, medical interventions, or cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I).

When you address these disorders, you’ll be able to sleep better and be healthier.

Dr. John Williams

Dr. John Williams is a sleep specialist. He offers Sleep Telemedicine to help people deal with various sleep disorders, particularly sleep apnea.

Graduating from the University of Zagreb’s School of Medicine, he investigates the cellular mechanisms of vascular endothelial dysfunction in obstructive sleep apnea. He also addresses cardiovascular complications of sleep deprivation and COPD. So if you have any sleep problems, let Dr. John Williams help you out.