How can I get more deep sleep?

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tillys66
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Joined: Fri Sep 19, 2014 12:51 pm
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by tillys66 on Mon Jan 20, 2020 12:50 pm

How can I get more deep sleep?

I have a Fitbit which tracks my sleep and I always notice that my percentage of deep sleep per night is far below the average benchmark it shows for other women my age. I’m 48 and run and walk every day, as well as eating a healthy diet. I avoid screens for several hours before bed and sleep in a cool, dark room. In short, I seem to be doing everything right but still don’t feel like I’m getting enough good quality sleep. My question is: how can I increase the percentage of deep sleep I get each night?

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lisaartis
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Joined: Tue Mar 26, 2019 12:23 pm
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by lisaartis on Thu Jan 23, 2020 11:02 am

Re: How can I get more deep sleep?

Thanks for your message.

Firstly, I'd like to point out that your Fitbit does not accurately track your sleep. Sleep trackers aren’t necessarily bad. They can be a useful tool for looking at your general sleep patterns and can be an incentive to improve sleep habits. However it’s important to remember that the data they provide isn’t always accurate. The best way to track and evaluate sleep is to go to a sleep lab for testing.

When you say you don't feel like you're getting enough quality sleep, is this because you're feeling tired and lethargic? Can I ask how you used to feel the next day before you started tracking your sleep with the Fitbit?

Stress and anxiety are the main culprits in why we don’t sleep well and tracking sleep can create unnecessary anxiety in the bedroom environment. Anxiety produces alert hormones like cortisol and adrenaline that will keep you awake. Plus having ‘tech’ in the bedroom goes against our general sleep advice of removing electronic devices from the bedroom and switching off screens an hour before bedtime.

Remember tracking everything – whether it’s sleep, steps or food – becomes very unrelaxing! Ask a good sleeper what they do to sleep well and chances are they won’t be able to tell you. They don’t really do anything and they certainly don’t overthink it.

If you’re obsessing over the tech, stop using it. Continue to put your good sleep hygiene principles into practice – having a regular sleep pattern, winding down sufficiently before bed, avoiding caffeine and alcohol, creating the right bedroom environment etc. Remember, the best way to gauge how well you are sleeping is to listen to your body and assess how you feel the next day.
Lisa Artis
Head of The Sleep Council

http://www.talkhealthpartnership.com/on ... _artis.php

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