Restorative sleep is the key to your daily health and long-term wellbeing. However, a long night in bed does not always guarantee that you will wake feeling refreshed. The quality of your sleep depends on your body being able to move through the different stages of the sleep cycle, including deep sleep.Â
If you feel as though your sleep is not as restorative as it should be, there are a number of practical ways to support better overall sleep quality and encourage the onset of deep sleep. From maintaining a consistent sleep schedule to creating a cool, comfortable bedroom, small changes to your routine and sleep environment may help you enjoy quality rest.
Key points
- Deep sleep is part of the body’s natural sleep cycle and vital to your health
- Supporting your overall sleep quality will naturally encourage deep sleep
- A consistent sleep schedule can help support your body’s natural sleep-wake rhythm
- Regular exercise, sensible caffeine timing and a relaxing evening routine can promote better sleep habits
- Keep your bedroom cool, dark and quiet where possible for uninterrupted rest
- A comfortable, supportive mattress and pillow can contribute to an environment that is conducive to restful sleep
What is deep sleep?
Throughout the night, your body naturally moves through a series of sleep stages. Deep sleep, often referred to as slow-wave sleep, is one of these stages. During slow-wave or deep sleep, your breathing and heart rate slow, your muscles become deeply relaxed and your brain produces slow brain waves (hence the name). It can also be more difficult to wake someone from deep sleep than from the lighter stages of sleep.
Deep sleep tends to be concentrated in the earlier part of the night, although your body continues cycling through the stages several times as the night progresses.
Why is deep sleep important?
We hear often about deep sleep because it is associated with many of the restorative processes that occur while you rest. It is considered particularly important for physical recovery and may also play a role in learning and memory.Â
In particular, deep sleep:
- Repairs and regrows tissue
- Builds muscle and bone
- Strengthens the immune system
- Clears toxins and waste in the brain
- Consolidates memory and supports learning
However, it is important to remember that deep sleep is only one component of a healthy night’s rest. Other stages in the sleep cycle perform important functions as well, so rather than trying to maximise deep sleep on its own, it is generally more useful to focus on getting sufficient, consistent and good-quality sleep overall.Â
How much deep sleep do you need?
Adults typically spend 10–20% of their sleep in the slow-wave stage, but there isn’t a specific number of minutes of deep sleep that is considered ideal for everyone. It is also not possible to directly control how much deep sleep you might get in a night.
The other stages of the cycle (such as REM sleep) are equally important for your health, so it is important to ensure you are getting enough quality rest in general. Adults typically need 7–9 hours of sleep every day, but this may depend on factors like age, health and lifestyle. Additionally, your sleep should be restful and uninterrupted, ensuring you give yourself the best chance of cycling through all vital stages of sleep throughout the night.
8 ways to support deep sleep
It’s not possible to consciously control which sleep stage your body enters, but improving your everyday sleep habits can create better conditions for quality rest and deep sleep. There are several ways you can promote better sleep, summarised below:
Maintain a consistent sleep schedule
Your body follows a natural 24-hour internal clock known as the circadian rhythm. Keeping your sleep and wake times consistent reinforces this rhythm and prepares your body for sleep at a predictable time each evening. A consistent schedule is generally more useful than regularly staying up late and attempting to compensate with a long sleep-in.
Try to go to bed and wake at approximately the same time every day, including on weekends where practical. To ensure you’re giving yourself enough time for a full night of rest, begin by working backwards from your usual wake-up time, setting your bedtime 7–9 hours earlier. (Children and teenagers typically need more sleep in a day, but this may vary.)
Create a relaxing evening routine
You may find it easier to settle into sleep by having a transitional period between a busy day and bedtime. Consider dimming the lights, reading, listening to quiet music or taking a warm shower before bed. Relaxation techniques such as gentle stretching or slow breathing may also help you unwind.
The specific routine matters less than finding something calming that you can practise consistently. However, for some inspiration, you may wish to try the “3-2-1” rule. According to this method, you should aim to stop eating food three hours before bed, stop working or studying two hours before bed, and stop using devices or looking at screens one hour before bed. We discuss food, drink and device usage in more detail below.
Reduce screen time before bed
Phones, tablets, laptops and televisions can make it tempting to stay awake longer than intended. Generally speaking, bright evening light and mentally stimulating content may influence the body’s natural sleep-wake signals, delaying a sense of sleepiness or calm, restful energy.
Smartphone usage in particular is indicative of a wide trend affecting Singaporeans. According to research, 54% of adults in Singapore get less than 7 hours of sleep a night, and poor sleep quality in our country is strongly associated with smartphone use. Another study found that young Singaporean adults (aged 15–34) suffer from problematic smartphone usage and are more likely to experience insomnia as a result.
To combat sleep deprivation and disruptive notifications, consider putting devices aside at least an hour before bedtime and switching to a quieter activity as part of your evening routine. Some individuals find it helpful to put their phones in another room at night, relying on an alarm clock instead of their phone to wake up in the morning.
Be mindful of caffeine later in the day
If you find it difficult to settle at night, consider the timing of your afternoon kopi, coffee, tea or other caffeinated drinks. Caffeine is a stimulant that may help you feel more awake, but its effects can linger for up to 6 hours or more in some people.
A general guideline is to stop drinking coffee around 2:00–3:00 in the afternoon, allowing 6–8 hours for the effects to wear off before bedtime so you’re able to wind down. Remember that caffeine can also be found in energy drinks, tea, some soft drinks and chocolate, so if you are particularly sensitive to the effects of caffeine, you may need to curb your consumption of other foods and beverages in the early afternoon.
Exercise regularly
Regular physical activity is another component of a healthy sleep routine. Exercise can support melatonin production and balance adenosine, reduce stress, improve mood and regulate body temperature. These factors help you fall asleep faster and sleep better.
Exercising outdoors during the daytime also provides exposure to natural light, which can help reinforce your sleep-wake cycle. Avoid working out or engaging in strenuous physical activity before bed, though – this can raise your body temperature and heart rate, spiking alertness and inhibiting a sense of sleepiness.
Avoid very heavy meals close to bedtime
Eating a large meal just before bed can make it harder to settle comfortably. Lying down soon after eating may contribute to feelings of fullness, bloating or indigestion, particularly after a rich or heavy meal. Similarly, spicy foods can raise your body temperature and cause heartburn or reflux. If you are hungry later in the evening, a lighter snack is usually best.
Alcohol may make you feel sleepy at first, but it can disrupt sleep later in the night and even block REM sleep. Even if you sleep through the night, you may not feel as refreshed the next day. Consider limiting alcohol 3–4 hours before bed to ensure you enjoy better-quality sleep.
Keep your bedroom cool and comfortable
Your surroundings can have a significant influence on how comfortably you sleep. Aim for a bedroom that is dark, quiet and comfortably cool.
During the onset of sleep, your body experiences a natural temperature drop that signals to the body it’s time to rest. In Singapore’s warm and humid climate, air conditioning, a fan, ventilation and breathable bedding may help create a more comfortable environment that facilitates easier, deeper sleep. For more tips, read our guide: 11 Ways to Get a Cool Night’s Sleep
Blackout curtains can help minimise light from nearby buildings and streetlights, while an eye mask or earplugs may be useful if complete darkness or quiet is difficult to achieve. Additionally, your bedroom should be free of clutter or distractions so that you naturally associate your bed with sleep rather than chores, work or engaging hobbies. Above all, your bedroom should feel like a place designed for rest.
Make sure your mattress and pillow are comfortable
Physical discomfort can cause tossing and turning at night, disturbing your sleep and potentially that of your partner. Your mattress should provide a balance of comfort and support that suits your body and preferred sleeping position, while your pillow should comfortably support your head and neck.
If your mattress has become damaged or uncomfortable, or you regularly struggle to find a comfortable sleeping position, it may be worth considering whether your sleep surface still suits your needs.
How can your mattress support deep sleep?
A quality mattress is only one part of a healthy sleep routine, but it is the foundation of bodily comfort night after night. The ideal mattress should feel comfortable while providing appropriate support for your body. Different people will naturally prefer different comfort levels, so there is no single mattress firmness that guarantees better sleep for everyone.
Your wider sleep setup matters too. Consider whether your pillow suits your sleeping position, whether your bed base provides appropriate support and whether your sheets and bedding are comfortable for Singapore’s climate.
When these elements work together, they can create a calm and inviting environment in which you can settle comfortably and enjoy an uninterrupted night’s rest.
Frequently asked questions
Focus on improving your overall sleep quality rather than trying to force a particular sleep stage. Maintaining consistent sleep and wake times, exercising regularly, reducing late caffeine, winding down before bed and creating a dark, quiet and comfortable bedroom can all support healthier sleep.
There is no universally recommended number of hours of deep sleep. Adults commonly spend around 10% to 20% of their sleep in this stage, but individual patterns vary. Getting sufficient total sleep is generally more important than trying to reach a specific deep-sleep target – for adults, this is typically 7–9 hours.
Many factors can influence sleep quality, including an inconsistent sleep schedule, stress, caffeine or alcohol, an uncomfortable bedroom and insufficient total sleep. Consumer sleep trackers also provide estimates rather than definitive measurements of sleep stages, so their results should be interpreted cautiously.
A mattress that provides suitable comfort and support may help create a more comfortable sleep environment and reduce physical disturbances during the night, facilitating deeper, more refreshing sleep. Get started with the Sealy range.
