How much light sleep do we need?
We all know that sleep is essential, but many people don’t realize that there are different stages of sleep. And each stage is vital in its own way. For example, one of the less talked about stages of sleep is light sleep. This stage occurs between deep sleep and the awake state. It plays an important role in the overall quality of your slumber. This blog post will discuss what happens during light sleep and why it’s crucial for a good night’s rest!
So, just how much light sleep do we need? It varies, but here’s some basic info.
How important is light sleep?
Sleep is one of the most critical components of a healthy body and mind. Even though it is often overshadowed by deep sleep or REM sleep, light sleep is an important part of a healthy sleep routine.
Although light sleep may not sound like it would be restful, it is actually during light sleep when your body temperature decreases, your muscles relax, and you begin slowing your brain waves. Although we experience short bursts of brain activity during this stage, this activity helps keep us from being woken by external stimuli.
Light sleep is crucial for learning, memory, and motor skills. Without light sleep, our memories and learning skills begin to fade. Not only does light sleep help with the maintenance of these important functions, but it also keeps us from moving around so that we can stay asleep!
To meet your overall sleep goals, it is imperative that you get enough light sleep. It is well known that sleep deprivation can cause high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, depression, and problems with your immune system. In addition, it’s hard to learn new skills or process new information when we don’t get adequate sleep. Plus, the ability to assess situations, plan, and choose behaviours is compromised by poor judgement.
How much light sleep do we need?
Most people need between seven and eight hours of sleep a day, but the amount of light sleep you need may vary. Also, depending on your age and lifestyle, you may need more or less light sleep.
When you are in your first sleep cycle, light sleep commonly lasts between 10 and 30 minutes, and during subsequent cycles, light sleep gets longer and longer. In the average person’s sleep cycle, they will undergo 3 to 5 cycles, of which 40% to 50% consists of light sleep.
Newborns spend 50% of their total sleep time in light sleep. This is because newborns need more sleep to help with their brain development.
As we age, the amount of light sleep we get tends to increase, and deep sleep decreases. Crap, I know! We lose about 10-12 minutes per decade, and our bodies produce lower growth hormone levels and melatonin. As a result, there can be a reduction in the total sleep time, and we may wake up more often. However, don’t let that freak you out. All stages of sleep are important.
Overall, it would help if you got about two to three (or more) hours of light sleep each night to function optimally. So if you’re not getting enough light sleep, it may be time for an adjustment in your routine!
So what can you do if you feel like you’re not getting enough sleep? Light or otherwise.
Over half of the night is devoted to light sleep, which is very important. Your body uses this time to process memories and emotions, as well as regulate your metabolism. In addition, your body carries out a great deal of maintenance during the lighter stages of sleep.
Here at RE:MIND meditation, we specialize in helping people find the rest they’ve been missing. One of the many benefits of the Lucia N°03 light is that it holds you in the state between wakefulness and sleep. And, we know that this state is highly restful for our whole selves.
The Lucia light activates the parasympathetic nervous system. During this stage the body recovers and the more resources you have for the following day. Essentially helping to lower your baseline stress levels.
We offer complimentary demos if you’d like to see how the Lucia Light can help you get your sleep levels up and your stress levels down. So click here to book your time with the Light!
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