Improve deep sleep – How to stay healthy with restful sleep

Healthy sleep is crucial to fully regenerate our body and mind so that we feel rested and fresh the next morning. Deep sleep is particularly important, as it ensures optimal recovery. Why is this so important? How can you improve your deep sleep? Are there tried and tested home remedies and tricks? And what are the consequences of poor deep sleep? Our sleep experts answer these questions in this article.

Improve deep sleep – What is deep sleep?

Human sleep consists of four to six sleep cycles, which can be divided into four different phases: falling asleep phase, light sleep phase, deep sleep phase and REM phase (rapid eye movement). Each phase fulfills a specific function.

While the falling asleep and light sleep phases prepare us for restful sleep, the REM phase is used to regenerate the brain and process the experiences of the day. But what happens during the deep sleep phase? This phase is crucial for the recovery and regeneration of our body. As the name suggests, we sleep particularly deeply during this phase. Our breathing and heart rate slow down, blood pressure and body temperature drop - the body is in a sense on standby. During deep sleep, our immune system is also strengthened. Sufficient deep sleep phases are therefore crucial for staying healthy and making the body resistant to viruses and bacteria. In addition, possible damage to tissue and genetic material is repaired, and growth hormones are released, which help with cell renewal. In children and adolescents, growth also begins during the deep sleep phase.

The deep sleep phase is therefore crucial for keeping our body healthy and fit. This is the only way cells can be renewed and our organs can remain healthy in the long term. Therefore, it is important to work on improving deep sleep.

Improve deep sleep – How much deep sleep do you need?

The sleep phases alternate again and again during the night, with the person going through several sleep cycles. As a rule, an eight-hour sleep involves around six sleep cycles. The proportion of deep sleep is ideally around 15 to 25 percent. The first four hours are particularly important for restful sleep, as the deep sleep phases are the longest here and can last up to an hour. The longer we sleep and the more cycles pass, the less deep sleep occurs. From the third sleep cycle onwards, for example, it hardly occurs at all.

Too little deep sleep – what are the consequences?

If you don't get enough restful sleep at night, you'll feel it the next day. If you wake up tired and exhausted after eight hours of sleep, you probably haven't had enough deep sleep. If this happens frequently, unpleasant symptoms can occur. If you don't improve your deep sleep, you can expect consequences such as persistent tiredness, irritability, difficulty concentrating, reduced memory, poor reaction time, poor blood sugar levels and obesity.

How can deep sleep be improved? – This is how it works

Do you often suffer from the symptoms mentioned? Do you often wake up tired in the morning even though you went to bed early? Then your sleep may not be restful and your deep sleep phase may be disturbed. Fortunately, there are various options and tips to improve deep sleep in the long term - without any medication:

1. Avoid and reduce stress: If you are under a lot of stress during the day, this will have a negative effect on your sleep. In such situations, light sleep predominates and deep sleep is neglected. Therefore, try to switch off before going to bed with yoga, autogenic training or meditation. If you have long-term problems, a change of job or other life change may also be necessary.

2. Proper nutrition: Avoid heavy meals, alcohol, nicotine and caffeinated drinks in the evening. Foods such as bananas, walnuts or cranberries can promote deep sleep.

3. Follow your natural sleep cycle: Follow your natural sleep cycle to improve deep sleep. Apps that analyze sleep and offer a "smart wake-up" feature can help with this.

4. Consistent bedtimes: Maintaining a consistent bedtime will improve deep sleep. The body gets used to the routine, which leads to better sleep quality.

5. Calming activities before bed: Avoid intense physical activity and the use of screen devices before bed. Instead, read a book or do relaxation exercises.

6. Comfortable sleeping environment: Create a comfortable sleeping environment with a suitable mattress and a comfortable bed.

7. Get enough exercise: Do moderate physical activity regularly to improve your deep sleep.

8. Minimize distractions: Reduce sources of light and noise in your bedroom to enable undisturbed, deep sleep.

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