Attaining a deep sleep is as important as exercising regularly and maintaining a healthy diet that affects your overall well-being. It is a part of a healthy lifestyle, allowing your mind and body to function properly. Most adults need seven to eight hours of sleep, but how much deep sleep does one need? As you spend 13 to 23 percent of the night in deep sleep, you get approximately 55 to 97 minutes of deep sleep every night.

Deep sleep is the third stage of non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. This period of sleep is known as slow-wave sleep, when your body and brain waves, including your breathing and heart rate, slow down as your muscles relax. It is difficult to be awakened during deep sleep, even with loud noises. Waking up from deep sleep can make you feel mentally foggy or clouded for up to an hour.

Why is Deep Sleep Important?

According to the American Sleep Association (ASA), of the main functions of deep sleep is to give the brain time to recover from its daily activities throughout the day. As a result of tasks that require mental activity, the glucose metabolism in the brain increases, supporting short-term and long-term memory and overall learning. The pituitary gland secretes vital hormones like human growth hormone also develops during deep sleep.

Deep Sleep
With so many factors that can disrupt your sleep, it is difficult to get a full eight hours of sleep every night. GhostBed

Although all stages of sleep are important, deep sleep provides more mental and physical benefits. It plays a significant role in language learning, motor skills, and brain development. Another critical function of deep sleep is the consolidation of new memories, commonly referred to as sleep-dependent memory processing. Your brain evaluates new memories, then preserves and consolidates only the most relevant ones to prevent saturating memory pathways. Other importance and health benefits of deep sleep include:

  • Improve cognitive function and memory
  • Regulate glucose metabolism
  • Strengthen immune system
  • Restore energy
  • Repair cell damage
  • Promote the growth of tissues and bones

Since deep sleep is responsible for helping process the information you encounter every day, your brain can’t convert all the information to your memory if you don’t get enough deep sleep. As you get older, the amount of deep sleep you acquire reduces, making it more important to get enough quality sleep every night. Failure to achieve deep sleep regularly can be linked to the following conditions:

  • Heart disease
  • Alzheimer's disease
  • Diabetes
  • Stroke
  • Obesity
  • Hypertension
  • Sleep problems or disorders

Understanding REM and Deep Sleep

Rapid eye movement (REM) and deep sleep can be confusing. Some people often think that they are just the same. Both are important stages of the sleep cycle, but they support your mind and body in different ways with specific characteristics. Sleep is divided into two categories: NREM and REM. If you’re wondering how much deep sleep and REM one needs, it is better to understand the difference between them.

The most well-known sleep cycle is REM. You’ve probably read or heard of it. As its name suggests, REM is identified by the rapid movement of eyes under their eyelids, including irregular heart rate and breathing and twitching of limb muscles. The REM cycle begins about 90 minutes after you fall asleep and recurs every 90 minutes.

This is the stage where you’re most likely to dream because your brain activity increases, similar to when you’re awake. Your sleep is not that deep as well. When you wake up from REM, you’ll immediately start to feel a sense of alertness and become aware of the environment.

On the other hand, deep sleep is the third stage of the NREM sleep cycle. It is characterized by a steady heart rate, slow respiratory rate., and low brain waves, making it difficult to wake up. Your body enters this stage half an hour to about an hour after falling asleep. Unlike the REM cycle, dreams don’t occur during deep sleep.

This is like a healing stage because your body restores itself physically by repairing cells, building muscle tissues, and balancing metabolism and blood sugar levels, and strengthening the immune system. You may also feel groggy or exhausted upon waking up from deep sleep. But with enough deep sleep, you will wake up feeling refreshed.

Tips to Get a Deep Sleep Every Night

With so many factors that can disrupt your sleep, including bedtime routine, environment, diet, lifestyle, health condition, and even the mattress you’re using, it is difficult to get deep sleep or a full eight hours of sleep every night. The easiest way you can do that might help to improve your sleep quality and routine is to improve your mattress. GhostBed values sleep quality with its top-notch and comfortable mattresses that cater to your needs and preferences. You will surely find the best mattress for deep sleep.

GhostBed Firmness
GhostBed values sleep quality with its top-notch and comfortable mattresses that cater to your needs and preferences. GhostBed

GhostBed CEO and founder, Marc L. Werner, who had three neck surgeries, emphasizes the significance of a mattress in improving your sleep quality. Since he is also well-informed about aches and pains, including engineering and manufacturing high-quality products, he decided to use his expertise to invent his own mattress and pillows to sleep comfortably. You can choose the right mattress with the help of Mattress Education Center, where GhostBed will guide you in buying a mattress by answering some mattress-related questions online.

Upon choosing the suitable mattress for you, make sure to practice healthy sleeping habits and develop a proper sleeping routine as well to get a deep sleep fully. You need to figure out the factors that usually affect your sleep, so you can easily work on the things you must improve. Consider the following tips that might help you sleep deeply throughout the night:

  • Get plenty of exercises
  • Maintain a healthy diet
  • Take a warm bath
  • Ensure a calm, dim, and cool environment
  • Create a bedtime routine
  • Reduce caffeine intake (at least seven hours before bedtime)
  • Listen to white or pink noise
  • Replace your pillow and bed sheets regularly

In case you’re having trouble sleeping, which lasts for longer periods, it is also best to seek professional help to clearly identify the problems you encounter and receive the proper care or advice needed to improve your condition.

Get Deep Sleep on a Ghost SmartBed

Experience seven layers of hybrid comfort and patented cooling technology with Ghost SmartBed 3D Matrix. You can get deep sleep faster and easier as it adjusts to your body shape and temperature and provides contouring and cooling comfort—instantly building a good sleeping environment. It also relieves pressure from head to toe to assure you will wake up pain-free and protected from muscle or joint pain.

Ghost SmartBed
Experience seven layers of hybrid comfort and patented cooling technology with Ghost SmartBed 3D Matrix. GhostBed

What makes this mattress more comfortable is it caters to all types of sleepers. You can select your ideal firmness and adjust it across five ergonomically designed body zones. Alternatively, you may opt for the mattress to do the work by collecting real-time pressure data to adjust your sleep position automatically through biometric sensors. It has three operating modes: Manual, Automatic, and Position.

GhostBed App
There's an app too. GhostBed

Simply connect the easy-to-use app to your phone or any device to track your sleep statistics like sleep stage tracking and breaths per minute. In that way, you can check if you achieve deep sleep throughout the night. It is satisfying as well to see your progress and observe your sleep routine. You can customize your mattress for a deeper, cooler, and longer sleep all night.

If you’re sleeping with someone, the mattress has adjustable air chambers and sensors on each side, giving personalized comfort for both of you. The Ghost SmartBed 3D Matrix features a Spritired Edge Support with individual six inches coils that create a weightless feeling while wrapping them individually for minimal motion transfer. It also has a cozy and fluffy plush with added shoulder, hip, and back support.

Best Adjustable Bed Mattress and Base Combo: Ghostbed Adjustable Base and GhostBed Flex

GhostBed offers various adjustable base beds for more restorative sleep. A zero-gravity adjustable bed base relieves pressure points in the zero-G position. You will be able to slightly raise your head and legs at the right angle while your torso and thighs are aligned with your upper body to distribute your weight equally. This position helps alleviate back and neck pain, reduce snoring, and improve heart health. You can sleep deeper all night long when you pair the adjustable base bed with a good mattress.

The Adjustable Base Combo Bundle, which includes Ghostbed Adjustable Base and GhostBed Flex, is the best combination of maximum comfort and ergonomic support that will let you get deep sleep without any interruptions. You can easily adjust your bed according to your preferences with a single touch button to relieve chronic neck and back pain. The dual-acting massage settings will also relax your muscles while sleeping or resting.

Ghostbed Adjustable Base
The GhostBed Adjustable Base GhostBed

Experience the feeling of weightlessness as if you’re sleeping on a cloud-like adjustable base with GhostBed Adjustable Base. It features a one-touch zero gravity position and dual head and foot massage settings that allow you to sleep comfortably and deeply. You will find the perfect sleeping position with proper elevation for your head and feet to prevent pressure and pain. Other convenient and smart features include:

  • One-touch buttons for zero gravity, anti-snore, and watching TV
  • Whisper-quiet two-zone massage with three modes and intensities
  • Wireless remote control
  • USB ports on both sides
  • Under-bed LED lighting

If you keep snoring at night. You can press the anti-snore button on the remote, which is labeled as “Zzz” to alleviate snoring. As the upper part of the bed adjusts, your head will be elevated slightly to open the airway and prevent snoring. This position can also relieve asthma. The anti-snore button is a great feature perfect for couples or two people sleeping on a single bed together.

GhostBed Flex
GhostBed Flex combines supportive coils with contouring memory foam. GhostBed

For an exceptional sleep experience, pair it with GhostBed Flex which combines supportive coils with contouring memory foam. The seven layers of hybrid comfort, gel memory foam, and plush quilted cover with cooling air-flow technology all work together to provide ideal support, durability, and longevity. It gives a GhostHug feeling that contours the body while providing solid support. The Spirited Edge Support design also keeps you safe when sitting on the edge of the bed and prevents sagging the mattress for longer use.

Does Snoring Mean Deep Sleep?

Some people believe that snoring at night equates to deep sleep, but it doesn't really define whether you’re sleeping deeply or not. Snoring occurs when air cannot pass through the airway freely as you breathe in and out during sleep. Since the airway is partially blocked, the breathing causes the tissues to vibrate, resulting in snoring.

The Sleep Foundation explains that some people become more prone to snoring because of the size and shape of the muscles and tissues in their neck. In other cases, excess relaxation of the tissue or narrowing of the airway can lead to snoring.

Although snoring can be associated with sleep disorders like sleep apnea, it is not always the case. There are several reasons why people snore, among the common causes are blocked nasal airways, sleep position, and sleep deprivation. Meanwhile, the risk factors are the following:

  • Nasal problems
  • Obesity
  • Pregnancy
  • Sedative medications
  • Alcohol consumption
  • Smoking

Snoring can be treated through lifestyle changes, anti-snoring mouthpieces, mouth exercises, oral appliances, and surgery, depending on your condition. However, the GhostBed Adjustable Base might be enough to prevent typical snoring that happens rarely.

With its anti-snore feature, you’ll be able to adjust your sleeping position and bed to open your airway and prevent snoring. It is a convenient solution that allows you to sleep deeper without any disturbances.

For those struggling to choose the best mattress to achieve deep sleep, taking Marc’s Mattress Quiz might help you find the right one. All you need to do is to answer a few questions about your preferred mattress and firmness, sleeping position, and sleeping problems you often encounter. GhostBed will present you with conclusions to help you identify your exact needs. Right after the online quiz, at least three specific GhostBed mattresses will be recommended for you.

Discover the best mattress for deep sleep and improve your sleep quality effectively and smoothly.