Not the number of hours you get to sleep but the quality of sleep that matters to determine how peacefully you will wake up the next morning. How energetic and fresh you feel when you wake up is linked directly to your sleep cycle and the phase of sleep during which you awake.
If you are unaware of what a sleep cycle is and how to calculate it, this blog post is written for you. Let’s explore the different stages of a sleep cycle and how the quality of sleep resonates with your state of mind when you wake up the next morning.
What is the Sleep Cycle?
When you are busy with your work, school, university, or other commitments in life, it becomes difficult to get enough sleep. The tiredness you feel during your sleeping hours often affects your sleep quality, so it is difficult to wake up without setting up an alarm. It happens not only because you are getting insufficient sleep but also because you wake up during any mid-phase of your sleep cycle.
There are a total of five phases of a sleep cycle, and the entire cycle comprises almost 90 minutes. If you get up before reaching the last phase, you feel dizzy, lazy, and disoriented the next day. An individual’s sleep cycle is largely impacted by the circadian clock that keeps affecting your sleeping hours even if the outside environment changes. This is why when a person travels from one country to another, he feels jetlagged due to a disturbance in the circadian clock, and the traveler’s sleeping pattern automatically gets adjusted to the local timing.
Types of a Sleep Cycle
During sleep, our brain works on different patterns based on muscle activities and eye movements. Based on distinct eye movements, you may categorize it into non-rapid eye movement (NREM), which comprises four stages of a sleep cycle, and rapid-eye movement (REM), in which the sleep cycle proceeds to the fifth stage.
Non-Rapid Eye Movement Sleep
The four stages of a sleep cycle altogether take you to REM sleep, which amplifies the importance of NREM. With every passing stage in NREM. The person goes deeper into sleep, and all of his body functions gradually start slowing down.
Starting from the initial phase, the eye movements are random, get on and off, and if the person drifts out of consciousness, the next stage is triggered. As the person slowly gets deeper into sleep, his heart rate and body temperature decrease, followed by the next phase, when blood pressure lowers and the breathing patterns become more rhythmic. During the last phase of NREM, the person has completely transited into sleep, and if he wakes up during this stage, he feels disoriented and exhausted.
Rapid-Eye Movement Sleep
As the name suggests, during REM, the eye movements are more intense as you enter that part of your sleep cycle linked to dreaming. The heart rate, body temperature, and blood pressure again start increasing, and you are after the sleep cycle. During REM sleep, your brain starts experiencing different memories in the form of dreaming, and you start seeing different objects through dreaming. This is a crucial part of your brain’s growth and is so intense that even the alarm fails to wake you up if you are in a REM sleep state.
Without passing the NREM sleep stages, we cannot directly go into REM sleep. Since NREM sleep determines REM’s quality and completion, the person must go through NREM first. Waking up during this stage is more likely to make you feel disturbed, dizzy, and disoriented.
After you have completed REM, this is the time to get back to phase 1, which means that if you wake up during this phase, you will feel refreshed and energetic. This is how the entire sleep cycle works. It is quite obvious that sleeping hours do not determine the quality of sleep, but the number of sleep cycles we complete is the primary factor in determining how we feel when we wake up. For quality sleep, you don’t necessarily have to sleep for longer hours but to complete 5 to 6 sleep cycles, while each cycle comprises approximately one hour and 30 minutes.
How Much Sleep do I Need?
The number of hours a person should sleep depends upon a number of factors such as age, pregnancy, stress, any disorder, etc. If you get ample sleep, you don’t feel disoriented or the need to sleep during the daytime. Although, according to research, it is important to get a sound sleep of 7 to 8 hours, this cannot be generalized to every individual. As the person ages, his urge to sleep decreases.
Newborns tend to sleep for longer hours; once the person starts hitting puberty, his sleep hours become more defined. Every person has a different sleeping routine, and so it is easy to say that every person experiences a different state of sleep cycle than the other. Below we have roughly estimated the number of hours an individual should sleep based on age.
| Newborns (0 – 3 months) | 15 to 17 hours |
| Infants (4 – 12 months) | 12 to 15 hours |
| Toddler (1 to 2 years) | 11 to 14 hours |
| Pre-schoolers (3 to 5 years) | 10 to 13 hours |
| School going (5 to 12 years) | 10 to 12 hours |
| Teenagers (13 to 18 years) | 8 to 10 hours |
| Adults (above 18) | 7 to 9 hours |
| Older people (64 years or above) | 7 to 8 hours |
Based on this sleeping hours chart, it is important to get enough sleep if you want to boost your productivity and feel fulfilling and happy the entire day once you wake up. Your productivity and activity heavily depend upon the quality of sleep you take, so if you have a goal set for the next day or the days to come, it is paramount to look at how many quality hours you get to sleep, with five to six sleep cycles being completed successfully.
What is Sleep Deprivation?
People do not realize the importance of taking enough rest and are even deprived of enough sleeping hours. Sleep deprivation affects brain growth and other body functions in multiple ways. Sleep insufficiency and sleep deprivation impact emotional, physical, and mental health, and the person may even feel restless throughout the day.
Sleep fragmentation is another term associated with sleep deprivation and occurs when the person keeps on waking up while sleeping. It results in insufficient sleep that keeps the person away from waking up feeling fresh and active. In this condition, the person feels sleep deficiency even after sleeping for several hours. Acute sleep deprivation occurs for only a few days, while chronic sleep deprivation stays for three months or even more.
How Does Sleep Deprivation Affect the Quality of Life?
The most important thing to know about taking quality sleep is that it is directly linked to your overall health. People who are deprived of sleep do not pay proper attention to their work and school, and while driving, they are more likely to get into accidents. Chronic sleep deprivation has the worst effects on a person’s health, and the persistent lack of sleep that continues for months has severe risks associated with several health disorders.
Some of the ailments associated with poor sleep quality include
- Cardiovascular complications, including cardiac arrest, high blood pressure, etc.,
- Irregularity in the synthesis of blood sugar leads to diabetes.
- Poor immunity system
- Losing skin elasticity that results in wrinkles and other signs of aging
- Pale skin with under-eye circles
- Sudden weight gain and inability to maintain a healthy weight
- Anxiety, depression, and some serious mental health disorders
If you think that you don’t have to sleep for a good number of hours, you need to rethink on it as multiple studies have shown that lack of sleep can be lethal. A number of physical and mental disorders are interconnected with insufficient sleep, so there is no chance of compromising on good sleep.
Why is Getting Quality Sleep Important?
Quality sleep is extremely important in keeping the body functions working optimally, having a good metabolism, reducing heart diseases, and reducing the chances of any chronic illness. Sound sleep impacts your productivity positively, and you perform great in every field of life if you have rested enough.
Quality sleep helps in:
- Boosting metabolism
- Lowering risks of mental health disorders,
- Improves productivity,
- Improving better performance in sexual activity,
- Managing weight
- Helping in better concentration
Why is It Important to Calculate the Sleep Cycle?
While most people are not aware of their incomplete or irregular sleep cycle and consider taking quality sleep when they are not a sleep cycle calculator helps you assess how optimally you have completed all the sleep cycle stages. Tracking down your REM and NREM states is important to understand the phase in which you should wake up.
Knowing when to wake up feeling fresh adds tremendous value to your life and significantly helps boost your productivity in every aspect. What could be a better way to know the right time to wake up during your sleep cycle than to estimate it using a sleep cycle calculator?
What does a Sleep Cycle Calculator do?
Before using a sleep cycle calculator, you should know that this cycle does not provide you with an optimum sleep routine but helps set your bedtime. It works like an alarm clock that wakes you up at the lightest stage of your sleep cycle so you do not feel exhausted when you awake.
You must input the time you want to go to bed or when you want to wake up and the number of hours you wish to sleep for. Click on the ‘calculate’ button, and the 90-minute sleep cycle calculator will give you an estimation of when you should be going to bed or when you should wake up, along with the number of sleep cycles that are completed during that time.
While using this calculator to estimate your sleep cycle, don’t forget to deduct the time you take to fall asleep, as it varies for different individuals. The sleeping hours are majorly based on the age, and so this calculator is made to give a rough estimation regarding the time you should be waking up.
Tips on Improving Sleep Hygiene
Getting sound sleep is important for a healthy lifestyle, but some people do not emphasize enough for improved sleep hygiene. There are a few useful tips to follow to get better sleep at night.
- Certain stimulants like coffee disturb the circadian rhythm of the body if consumed before sleeping. It is important to avoid caffeine intake before going to bed so you may enjoy a peaceful sleep at night.
- Soaking the sun in the daytime helps boost alertness and makes you feel relaxed while you go to bed at night.
- Do not use electronic devices at least 2 hours before going to bed.
- Your mattress is your comforting resort, so invest in a good one.
- Stay Physically active the entire day as it boosts your metabolism and gives you a peaceful sleep once you are in bed.
- Set a wake-up time for you as when you are awakening at the same time every day; your body becomes accustomed to it.
- Take a peaceful nap in the afternoon after having your lunch. Do not exceed the nap time of 20 to 30 minutes.
- Consuming alcohol before bed can poorly affect your sleep quality. Taking two or more shots of alcohol before bedtime affects the development of the brain and increases the poor sleep quality.
- Try having dinner hours before bedtime, and do not consume too spicy or too sweet food before bed as it is difficult for the body to digest.
- If you cannot fall asleep even after spending an hour in bed trying to sleep, it’s better to get up and do some activity in the low light. It helps relax your mind, and you will feel ready to sleep.
Bottom Line
A sleeping cycle calculator is an easy and effective way to set up a waking routine. Your sleep cycle is very important to understand as it directly connects with the development of your brain and increases the productivity of your body system. We have designed this tool to be used by everyone regardless of age, and the outcome comprises your sleep routine and the number of sleep cycles you have achieved during this time.
Sound sleep is extremely important for everyone, and if you cannot enjoy sleeping, you need to look into things you are doing right before bedtime.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How many hours of sleep is important for the body to feel rested?
Getting at least 7 to 8 hours of quality sleep is important for every individual. It is vital to complete every stage of the sleep cycle if you want to feel refreshed after waking up. Poor quality sleep comprises less than five sleep cycles, which is why a person who wakes up during any mid-phase of the sleeping cycle or before completing five to six sleep cycles feels restless and exhausted.
Is it good to sleep for 2 hours?
Although it is not healthy to sleep for 2 hours, this time slot is enough to complete one sleep cycle. If a person sleeps for 90 minutes, his sleep cycle will be completed, which is enough for the body to complete one sleep cycle.
How many sleep cycles are completed during a good night’s sleep?
A good night’s sleep usually comprises five to six sleep cycles, each comprising five stages.
How many sleeping hours are necessary for adults above the age of 18 to take?
For adults over 18, getting enough sleep of at least 7 to 8 hours is important.
Does the need for sleep change with age?
Yes, as the person ages, his sleeping hours and patterns are changed. By age 20, a stable sleeping routine is made, but with age, there is a significant change to it. For example, an adult sleeps less than a teenager as he has to do a lot of activities, and similarly, an older person may want to spend more time in bed than an adult due to his medical condition.
Why do I feel restless even after getting enough sleep for 8 hours?
If you are feeling restless or tired even after getting 8 hours of sleep, there are multiple things to consider. You are probably suffering from a sleep disorder, continuous disturbance in the environment in which you are sleeping, chronic pain, any underlying medical condition, or incompletion of a sleep cycle.
How is a sleep cycle categorized?
A sleep cycle is categorized into non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and rapid eye movement (REM). NREM is an extending phase of the sleep cycle in which the person gradually sinks into sleep, followed by a lowering of heartbeat, blood pressure, etc. REM is that phase in which the person experiences dreams or nightmares.
How long is a sleep cycle?
A sleep cycle comprises 1 hour and 30 minutes.
How does a sleep cycle work?
A sleep cycle is almost 90 minutes, during which five phases occur. The first four stages are known as non-rapid eye movement, while the fifth one is linked to rapid eye movement. During NREM, the body starts lowering its functions, and you gradually move into sleeping deeper. During the fifth stage, the brain’s activity increases, and eye movements behind the closed lids intensify. This is when you experience nightmares or dreams, after which you are more likely to return to the initial stage, which is considered the lightest stage and the best time to wake up.
A fervent champion for holistic well-being, graces this community with her expertise in health and fitness. With a solid educational foundation in physical fitness and a commitment to empowering others, Sara distills her extensive knowledge and experience into actionable insights. Her writing, firmly grounded in evidence-based practices, aims to demystify health complexities and inspire readers to cultivate sustainable habits for a balanced life. As a certified fitness trainer, Sara offers a well-rounded perspective on wellness. Join Sara on this transformative journey towards a happier, healthier, and more vibrant you.
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