Sleep Goals: Understanding Your Sleep Cycle

With the start of the new year, chances are you could benefit greatly from understanding and improving your sleep cycle.

Getting a good night’s sleep is an essential part of health and can improve productivity and concentration, as well as limit obesity, heart disease, and depression. Although the amount of sleep needed to function properly changes as you age, it is recommended that most adults get at least 7-9 hours each night.

However, the quality of that sleep also matters. For instance, spending enough time in the deep sleep stage of sleep is what you need to feel refreshed when you wake up the next morning. If you feel groggy one morning, it is likely because you woke up in the middle of the deep sleep stage.

There are 5 stages within the sleep cycle, and each cycle lasts approximately 90 minutes. Not sure what the different stages mean? We’ve got the basics covered, as well as a handy guide to follow if you want to limit waking up in the middle of your sleep cycle!