Older adults often complain that the transition between sleep and wakefulness is abrupt, and they feel deprived of sleep even if the total number of sleep hours has not changed. As we age restlessness and changes in sleep patterns may contribute to finding it harder to fall asleep, waking up more often during the night, and waking up earlier in the morning. As we get older, we spend more time in the light sleep stages. Over the course of a person’s life, sleep patterns will evolve. But after a whole night of sleep, waking during light sleep is ideal because a person will feel refreshed, rested, and ready to start the day. If a person wakes up in this stage, they may feel like they were not even asleep. During this shallow sleep, one is aware of their surroundings and can be woken easily. It is the stage of the sleep cycle where the body prepares for deep sleep.ĭuring light sleep, heart and breathing rates are lower, but the body is still sensitive to noise, touch, temperature, and movement. Light sleep is the default stage because it is impossible to avoid if one is asleep at all.
AVERAGE AMOUNT OF DEEP SLEEP A NIGHT FULL
While much emphasis is placed on deep sleep, we should not overlook the importance of light sleep.īecause we cycle through our stages of sleep each night, light sleep makes up about half of a full night of sleep. Each stage plays a critical role in health and recovery to meet one's overall sleep needs.įor optimal physical and mental health, every stage of sleep is vital.
Most adults complete 4 to 5 sleep cycles during an entire night of rest. Light sleep happens in the first two stages, and deep sleep occurs in the latter. Each stage lasts around 10-15 minutes, and a complete cycle takes about 90 to 110 minutes. Over the course of the night, we cycle through the four stages of sleep multiple times-the first three non-REM stages, followed by short REM sleep. Many people associate dreams with REM sleep because this is the stage where most dreams occur. During the REM stage, our eyes dart and move rapidly in different directions. To get a quality and restorative rest, smoothly progressing through the sleep stages multiple times throughout the night is critical.įour different stages make up a single sleep cycle: three stages are non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREM) and one stage of rapid eye movement (REM). But new research aims to identify not only the total number of hours of sleep that one needs but also the amount of each stage of sleep throughout the night that is needed. Most experts advise a daily sleep recommendation of seven to nine hours for optimal health. So, grab a cup of coffee, and let’s discuss sleep quality. Many sleepy Americans are fueled by this jolt of caffeine to start their day and to keep them going throughout-often because of a poor night’s sleep. The coffee business in America is booming, with sales topping over $46 billion last year alone. Light Sleep: What Amount is Really Needed?
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