Our sleeping patterns are so unique, and everyone has their own little quirks when it comes to getting that well-deserved shuteye. Leonardo Da Vinci used to sleep for 20 minutes every 4 hours, while the OG diva Mariah Carey previously stated she gets 15 hours sleep each night which helps to keep her vocals in tip-top shape. But how much sleep should yoube getting, and what can you do to ensure you’re entranced in a deep sleep each night? We’ve come up with a few tips to ensure you wake up each morning feeling refreshed and relaxed after a night of deep sleep. How long should I be sleeping per night? There are so many outcomes that will determine how much you should be sleeping. Your age, individual requirements and whether you have been getting adequate sleep all contribute to how much sleep you should be getting. Many research studies have concluded that adults should be sleeping between 7-9 hours per night. However, growing teenagers need to sleep between 8-10 hours, which is where the “lazy teen” tag comes from. And we all know someone who can sleep through an earthquake, too, but just why they do this remains a little bit of a mystery.Although most of us are self-proclaimed “light or heavy sleepers”, research has been struggling to determine quite why people react differently to noises. However, some studies seem to suggest that brainwave activity during sleep may clarify if you’re either a light sleeper or a heavy one. Why do I need deep sleep? We all want to get the optimum amount of rest. But the holy grail is improving the amount of “deep sleep” we receive. Deep sleep is the time when our bodies are truly recovering from the day’s activities. People who have had a good deep sleep say they are well rested and this sleep occurs during the final stage of NREM. During a night, we alternate between cycles of REM (Rapid eye movement) and NREM (non-rapid eye movement) that repeats every 90 minutes or so, with 75% per cent of the night in NREM mode. This consists of three stages of relaxation. Stage one is considered a light sleep. The deeper sleep begins at stage two, stabilising your heart rate and dropping your temperature. The deepest and most restorative stage occurs in stage three. This stage slows your breathing, relaxes muscles, and grows and repairs any damages tissues. Tips to get a better night’s sleep 1 – Turn off all bright lights Yes, this includes phones, tablets, computers and televisions. Power these off an hour before bed and the stimulation will help prepare your body for the sleep cycle. 2 – Create a consistent bedtime Better deep sleep is about creating better habits. Try and stick with the same bedtime – even on weekends! This will help keep your body on track and easily find the right sleep cycle. 3 – Perfect temperature for sleep Ok, so we all have different preferences for our preferred sleeping temperature. However, scientists have agreed that the perfect temperature for a body to rest is between 19-20 degrees celsius. 4 –Refrain from late workouts Cutting straight to the point, workouts before bed will disrupt the amount of deep sleep we have as they release adrenalin-filled endorphins, keeping you up as you try to sleep. 5 – De-stress It might be easier said than done, but there are a few simple ways to de-stress before bed. Check out our blog on some easy-ish yoga tips, designed to calm your mind and give you a better chance of a great night of rest. Want to learn more about how you could improve your sleep? Visit our blog homepage and check out more of our tips.
