Sleeping Facts and Tips

Sleep is not ‘shutting off’ for the night, nor a single deep sleep that we wake up from in the morning. Sleep cycles from light to deep and then back to light sleep throughout the night. The deeper sleep occurs at the beginning of the night, with lighter sleep occurring towards the end of the night. Because we still think in light sleep, this can often be confused as being awake. Take some time to consider if this means you are getting more sleep than what you think.

Our dreaming sleep known as REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep is also considered a ‘light’ sleep, and also occurs in the last part of the night. REM sleep is also known as ‘paradoxical’ sleep, meaning that although we are asleep, our brain cells, heart rate, and breathing rate are very active. Thus, some people can wake out of REM sleep and feel alert.

How much am I and should I be sleeping?

It is normal for people to wake during the night, with some awakenings not remembered the following day. Although you may hear that everyone needs 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night, this varies between people, with some people needing only 4 hours and others needing 10 hours. We require less sleep as we age.