Download ArticleDownload ArticleThis article was co-authored by Alex Dimitriu, MD. Alex Dimitriu, MD is the Owner of Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine, a clinic based in the San Francisco Bay Area with expertise in psychiatry, sleep, and transformational therapy. Alex earned his Doctor of Medicine from Stony Brook University in 2005 and graduated from the Stanford University School of Medicine's Sleep Medicine Residency Program in 2010. Professionally, Alex has dual board certification in psychiatry and sleep medicine.
There are 13 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
This article has been viewed 27,259 times.
Deep sleep (technically called N3), as the name probably told you, is the deepest stage of your nightly sleep. In this stage, your brain rests after a long day and your body repairs itself. This is why deep sleep is so crucial for your health.[1] However, if you have any sleeping problems or wake up regularly throughout the night, then you might not be getting as much deep sleep as you need. You probably have all kinds of questions about how you can fix that, and we’re here to help! Soon you’ll be able to take the right steps and improve your deep sleep continuity.
Steps
How.com.vn Quiz: Why Can't I Sleep?
What effect does my diet have on deep sleep?
Download Article
Foods high in tryptophan might make it easier to fall asleep. Have you ever felt like you needed a nap after a Thanksgiving dinner? That’s because of all that tryptophan in the turkey. This protein has a calming effect on your body and might lull you to sleep. Try eating more tryptophan-rich foods like poultry, milk, eggs, yogurt, and fish to see if that helps.[13]- Grains and carbs like rice and nuts might also help your brain absorb tryptophan, making it more effective.
- Keep in mind that eating tryptophan isn’t a good replacement for developing healthier sleep hygiene.
Avoid big meals before bedtime. While the results are mixed on whether or not eating particular foods helps you sleep better, you can definitely sabotage your sleep by eating late in the day. Large meals before bedtime tend to keep you awake and disrupt your sleep cycle. Try to stick with small snacks later in the day so you don’t keep yourself up.[14]- Don’t drink too much before bed either, or you’ll wake up needing to use the bathroom at night.
- Also avoid foods that cause heartburn before bed, like spicy foods, garlic, and acidic fruits.
Expert Q&A
- QuestionWhat does deep sleep feel like?
Alex Dimitriu, MDAlex Dimitriu, MD is the Owner of Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine, a clinic based in the San Francisco Bay Area with expertise in psychiatry, sleep, and transformational therapy. Alex earned his Doctor of Medicine from Stony Brook University in 2005 and graduated from the Stanford University School of Medicine's Sleep Medicine Residency Program in 2010. Professionally, Alex has dual board certification in psychiatry and sleep medicine.
Sleep Medicine & Psychiatry ProfessionalDeep sleep is where you're the least capable of waking up, at least under normal circumstances. If your alarm rings and you get up while you're in deep sleep, it's that kind of sensation where you're not even really there mentally. You can't read the alarm clock, process thoughts, or work through what's going on around you. - QuestionHow long does deep sleep last?Alex Dimitriu, MDAlex Dimitriu, MD is the Owner of Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine, a clinic based in the San Francisco Bay Area with expertise in psychiatry, sleep, and transformational therapy. Alex earned his Doctor of Medicine from Stony Brook University in 2005 and graduated from the Stanford University School of Medicine's Sleep Medicine Residency Program in 2010. Professionally, Alex has dual board certification in psychiatry and sleep medicine.
Sleep Medicine & Psychiatry ProfessionalDeep sleep usually takes two hours, although that may change depending on how much of a sleep debt you owe. - QuestionWhen does deep sleep usually take place?Alex Dimitriu, MDAlex Dimitriu, MD is the Owner of Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine, a clinic based in the San Francisco Bay Area with expertise in psychiatry, sleep, and transformational therapy. Alex earned his Doctor of Medicine from Stony Brook University in 2005 and graduated from the Stanford University School of Medicine's Sleep Medicine Residency Program in 2010. Professionally, Alex has dual board certification in psychiatry and sleep medicine.
Sleep Medicine & Psychiatry ProfessionalYou normally experience deep sleep during the first third of the night. So if you go to sleep around 10 pm, your deep sleep cycle is probably over around 1 am.
Tips
Warnings
- Never take any sleeping aids without asking your doctor first. These could be addictive, and might also have negative side effects.Thanks
References
- ↑ https://www.sleepassociation.org/about-sleep/stages-of-sleep/deep-sleep/
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5386280/
- ↑ https://www.helpguide.org/harvard/biology-of-sleep-circadian-rhythms-sleep-stages.htm
- ↑ Alex Dimitriu, MD. Sleep Medicine & Psychiatry Professional. Expert Interview. 16 October 2019.
- ↑ https://www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/interrupted-sleep
- ↑ Alex Dimitriu, MD. Sleep Medicine & Psychiatry Professional. Expert Interview. 16 October 2019.
- ↑ https://www.columbianeurology.org/neurology/staywell/sleep-deprivation
- ↑ https://news.berkeley.edu/2019/11/04/deep-sleep-can-rewire-the-anxious-brain/
- ↑ Alex Dimitriu, MD. Sleep Medicine & Psychiatry Professional. Expert Interview. 16 October 2019.
- ↑ https://www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/interrupted-sleep
- ↑ https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/about_sleep/sleep_hygiene.html
- ↑ https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/exercising-for-better-sleep
- ↑ https://www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/food-and-drink-promote-good-nights-sleep
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/insomnia/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20355173
- ↑ https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/melatonin-for-sleep-does-it-work
- ↑ https://www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/alcohol-and-sleep
- ↑ Alex Dimitriu, MD. Sleep Medicine & Psychiatry Professional. Expert Interview. 16 October 2019.
- ↑ https://www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/interrupted-sleep
About This Article
Medical Disclaimer
The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, examination, diagnosis, or treatment. You should always contact your doctor or other qualified healthcare professional before starting, changing, or stopping any kind of health treatment.
Did this article help you?
⚠️ Disclaimer:
Content from Wiki How English language website. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike License; additional terms may apply.
Wiki How does not encourage the violation of any laws, and cannot be responsible for any violations of such laws, should you link to this domain, or use, reproduce, or republish the information contained herein.
- - A few of these subjects are frequently censored by educational, governmental, corporate, parental and other filtering schemes.
- - Some articles may contain names, images, artworks or descriptions of events that some cultures restrict access to
- - Please note: Wiki How does not give you opinion about the law, or advice about medical. If you need specific advice (for example, medical, legal, financial or risk management), please seek a professional who is licensed or knowledgeable in that area.
- - Readers should not judge the importance of topics based on their coverage on Wiki How, nor think a topic is important just because it is the subject of a Wiki article.
