How Much Deep Sleep Should I Be Getting?

Young woman sleeping soundly in bed, focus on her outstretched hand on the mattress

We all know that sleep is essential. But do you know how much deep “REM” sleep you should be getting every night?

To say that you need eight hours of sleep per night is a bit of a misnomer. While it is true that most people function best with this amount of shut-eye, the type of sleep you get also makes a tremendous difference in how you feel in the morning. Sometimes you can get ten hours of sleep and still wake up feeling groggy!

So how much deep sleep do you actually need?

What Does Research Suggest?

The Institute of Medicine suggests that the average person spends around 13 to 23 percent of their time in bed in a state of deep sleep. The researchers measured this by taking a group of participants and then recording them with cameras that tracked rapid eye movement or REM sleep.

Scientists who study sleep believe that this rapid movement of the eyes is a crucial indicator of deep sleep – something that we all need to function at our best.

Interestingly, the researchers found that around 75 to 80 percent of all sleep is non-REM and that people go through several sleep cycles, in and out, including deep sleep.

How Much Deep Sleep Do You Actually Need?

While the research doesn’t specify the length of time that one should remain in a deep sleep, research does note that as you get older less deep sleep is required. Interestingly, deep sleep seems to be more about the body, while REM sleep is more about the brain. Both types of sleep are needed to be healthy.

If you sleep eight hours per night – which is the current recommendation – you can expect to get between 62 to 110 minutes of REM. That doesn’t sound like a lot, but this state of sleep is so restful, it can almost single-handedly restore your body and mind.

Deep sleep has a number of profoundly positive effects on your brain and body, including enhanced physical recovery (muscle growth), consolidation of things you learned in the day, and improved memory. It also helps you to process emotions.

It is also vital for helping the brain to detoxify. During deep sleep, your neurons do a lot of housekeeping, including removing the plaques that lead to dementia.

Choose A Mattress To Support Deep Sleep

Deep sleep, therefore, is enormously important for helping you remain productive and feel great. But you’ll struggle to get the shut-eye you need without the right mattress. That’s why getting a great bed from professionals, such as Best Mattress, is so essential. At our mattress store in Las Vegas, you can get bedding to provide a better night’s sleep every night, improving your quality of life. We offer a wide variety of different mattresses to support deep sleep for all kinds of people. Speak with us today to find out more about how you can boost your REM sleep and feel great.