Understanding your sleep patterns can help identify and modify behaviors that may disrupt your sleep, such as your bedtime routine and sleep environment.
Many people believe that a good night’s sleep means falling asleep instantly and staying in deep, restorative sleep for about eight hours. This idea is quite common, but it’s a misconception. In reality, healthy sleep is cyclical, with periods of light and deep sleep and brief awakenings throughout the night. Some people remember these awakenings, while others don’t.
The Roller-Coaster of Sleep Cycles
As adults, our sleep moves through cycles, each lasting about 90 minutes. We usually start with lighter sleep, gradually move into deeper stages, and rise back into rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, associated with vivid dreams. Most of our deep sleep occurs in the first half of the night, while REM is more common in the second half.
We typically go through five or six sleep cycles each night and may briefly wake up at the end of each cycle. Waking up around five times a night is perfectly normal and can even increase with age. If you don’t remember these awakenings, that’s okay—they are usually brief and not disruptive.
What Does a ‘Good’ Sleep Actually Mean?
Adults are generally advised to get between seven and nine hours of sleep each night, but the quality of sleep matters just as much as the quantity. Good sleep means being able to fall asleep within 30 minutes of going to bed, staying asleep without long interruptions, and waking up feeling rested and ready for the day.
If you’re regularly getting at least seven hours of sleep but still feeling physically tired, needing naps, or waking up unrefreshed, it could be worth consulting your doctor to explore potential causes.
Common Sleep Issues
Sleep disorders are prevalent, with up to 25% of adults experiencing insomnia, which makes it difficult to fall or stay asleep, or causes early morning waking. Conditions like insomnia and sleep apnea, where breathing stops temporarily during sleep, also increase with age—affecting 20% of younger adults and 40% of middle-aged adults. Treatment options are available, so it’s important to seek help if needed.
Sleep can also be disrupted by chronic health conditions like pain, or by certain medications. External factors such as children, pets, or noise can cause forced awakenings, making it harder to wake up in the morning and leaving us feeling unsatisfied with our sleep.
If these awakenings lead to frustration or affect your ability to function during the day, it might be time to seek professional advice. Struggling to get up in the morning could also indicate sleep-related issues, especially if it’s due to irregular sleep schedules or an internal body clock misalignment.
Can Smart Watches Help?
While sleep-tracking devices can give a rough estimate of your sleep patterns, they may not be highly accurate in measuring specific sleep stages. The gold standard for assessing sleep is in-laboratory polysomnography (PSG), which monitors breathing, brain waves, heart rate, and oxygen levels during sleep.
Instead of focusing on nightly sleep data from trackers, it’s more useful to observe patterns over time, such as consistent bed and wake times. If tracking your sleep data causes anxiety or worry, it might not be beneficial for you. Most importantly, if you’re concerned about your sleep, consult your doctor for a referral to a specialist in sleep health.
