If you’re aged 18–60 and are sleeping for 7–8 hours per night but are not waking up feeling refreshed, you may not be getting enough deep sleep.
You might want to ask a doctor about doing a sleep study to help you figure our your sleep patterns. You may need treatment for a sleep disorder.
Possible causes of sleep disturbances include:
- obstructive sleep apea
- pain or other symptoms that can affect sleep
- REM sleep disorder
- narcolepsy
- a mental health condition, such as depression or anxiety
- older age
- dementia
- traumatic brain injury
- the use of some medications
You may be feeling tired because you are getting enough sleep or getting too much sleep.
It support function such as:
- the immune system and resistance to disease
- healthy metabolism
- brain, heart, and lung function
- mood
A lack of quality sleep may increase the risk of:
- obesity
- high blood pressure
- type 2 diabetes
- cardiovascular disease
- depression
Table of Contents
Is 45 minutes of deep sleep enough?
An adult aged 18–60 years needs 7 or more hours of sleep in every 24 hours. 105 minutes of this is typically the deepest sleep. In which case, a total of 45 minutes is not enough deep sleep.
However, sleep goes in cycles, so a person may not have 105 minutes of the deepest sleep all in one stage.
What happens if you don’t get the right amount of deep sleep?
In your deepest sleep, your body repairs and regrows tissues, builds bone and muscle, and strengthens the immune system.
If you don’t get enough deep sleep, you may be more prone to physical and mental health issues, as well as feeling sleepy during the day.
How do I increase my amount of deep sleep?
There is no way to make yourself sleep deeper, but you can increase your chances of sleeping well if you follow some tips:
- establishing regular sleep-wake habits, including getting up and going to bed at the same time every day
- ensuring your sleeping space is as quiet, comfortable, and restful as possible
- leaving any devices outside the room while you sleep
- establishing a bedtime routine that helps you relax before sleep, such as having a warm shower or listening to music
Which is better, REM or deep sleep?
All the stages of sleep are necessary, and none is better than any other. You need a balance of around 25% REM and 25% of the deepest NREM sleep to maintain your health and wellbeing. Getting the right balance of sleep in each stage is essential to health. The five stages of sleep involve light NREM sleep, deep NREM sleep, and REM sleep.
REM sleep is when we tend to dream, and the deepest NREM sleep is when the body relaxes fully and repairs itself.
The amount of sleep we need varies by age, but the CDC recommend at least 7 hours of sleep in every 24 hours for adults. In addition, getting around 1.5–2 hours of deep sleep is crucial for feeling rested and staying healthy.
