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Have you ever wondered what separates light sleep from deep sleep? Then you’re not alone. Everyone experiences both light sleep and deep sleep every night, but they may not know the specifics of either. If you want to understand the differences between the two, here is a detailed comparison.

Light sleep

• Stage

Sleep is divided into four stages: N1, N2, N3, and finally the rapid eye movement (REM) stage. When you sleep, you go through these stages in a cyclical manner, starting from stage 1 up to the REM stage and then restart from stage 1 again. Each stage lasts around 10 to 15 minutes, and a complete cycle takes approximately 90 to 110 minutes. Light sleep happens from stage 1 up until stage 2.

• Quality of sleep

Light sleep happens at the early stages of the cycle, so you are not yet fully rested. When people usually talk about light sleep, they are actually referring to shallow sleep. This means you are still aware of your surroundings. You’re asleep, but since you just started sleeping, you can be awoken easily.

• Amount of total sleep time

Most of your light sleep occurs in stage 2, and the amount of light sleep you experience each night accounts for more than half your sleep time. As you get older, though, you will spend more and more time in the light sleep stage.

Deep sleep

• Stage

Deep sleep occurs in the latter stages of sleep, or stages 3 to REM sleep. In these stages your body is inactive yet your brain is still highly active. In the rapid eye movement (REM) stage, your eyes move around a lot, which is how it got its name.

• Quality of sleep

Stages 3 to REM are where you experience your most restful sleep. In stage 3, your body is relaxed, thereby lowering your heart rate and allowing you to breathe slowly.

When you pass stage 3 and reach the REM stage, your body functions start to change. You’re still in a deep sleep, but your heart rate increases and your breathing accelerates. You also dream in this stage.

• Amount of total sleep time.

If you’re an adult, you only get about 1.5 to 1.8 hours of deep sleep every night. This accounts for about 20% of your total sleep time. However, the amount of deep sleep actually varies from person to person, and everyone needs different amounts in order for them to feel like they had a good night’s sleep. Typically, the older you are, the less deep sleep you need.

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Achieving deep sleep

People prepare for sleep in a different ways, but if you want to ensure that you get the necessary amount of deep sleep every night, it’s best to stick to these sleeping practices.

• Follow a strict sleeping schedule.

Sleep at the same time each night, and wake up at the same time each morning. Do this every day including weekends to regulate your internal body clock. When your body gets used to a schedule, you’ll be able to fall asleep without effort as soon as you hit the bed.

• Buy high-quality products for sleep.

If you find yourself having trouble sleeping, you should buy products that are designed to make you more comfortable and thus help you sleep better. These products include electric underblankets that offer warmth or electric heating pads that aid in minimizing body pains that hinder you from falling asleep.

• Relax yourself before bedtime.

It’s important that even before you lie down, both your mind and your body are already relaxed. You could take a hot bath 20 minutes to an hour before your bedtime, read a good book, or listen to soothing music.

• Put down you your gadgets.

The blue light emitted by electronic devices such as smartphones and tablets prevent deep sleep by interfering with your circadian rhythm, so don’t use them for at least two to three hours before sleeping.

• Don’t drink alcohol or caffeine.

Alcohol and caffeine have already been proven to disrupt sleep, so avoid drinking alcoholic or caffeinated drinks for at least six hours before your scheduled bedtime. In doing so, you also avoid headaches or a hangover.

Creating a nice environment to sleep in can be very helpful. You should feel more comfortable both mentally and physically. Your body and soul will become more relaxed, leading to a high-quality night of good sleep!

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