Your Complete Guide to Better Rest (Part 1)

Quality sleep is essential for every aspect of your health — from your immune system to your mood and productivity. But many people face daily challenges that disrupt their sleep. Below, we answer the first part some of the most common — and complex — sleep-related questions that were presented after our webinar on levelling up your sleep by Dr. Jedd Myers to help you build better sleep habits; our second article on this subject will address the second article.

Sleep is not a passive state where the brain shuts off — it’s a highly active and structured process. Dr. Matthew Walker, professor of neuroscience and psychology at UC Berkeley, has made the science of sleep accessible through his research and bestselling book Why We Sleep. In his work, he describes sleep as a journey through cycles, stages, and functions essential to our physical and mental health.

Sleep architecture refers to the structure and pattern of sleep over a single night, usually divided into cycles and stages. Each night, we go through 4–6 cycles, each lasting about 90 minutes. Each cycle includes two main types of sleep:

• Non-REM (NREM) Sleep
• REM (Rapid Eye Movement) Sleep

According to Dr. Walker, your night of sleep unfolds in a rhythmic loop:

Stage 1 (NREM Light Sleep)

• Lasts a few minutes
• Body relaxes, heart rate and breathing slow
• Easily disrupted

Stage 2 (NREM Light to Moderate Sleep)

• Body temp drops, brain waves slow with bursts of electrical activity (“sleep spindles”)
• Memory consolidation begins

Stage 3 (NREM Deep Sleep / Slow-Wave Sleep)

• Hard to wake from
• Physical restoration occurs (tissue repair, immune boost, growth hormone release)
• Especially dominant in the first half of the night

Adults typically spend 13–23% of their night in deep sleep, or around 1–2 hours. More is not necessarily better; balance with REM and light sleep is key.

Technology has played a great role in helping to track and monitor sleep patterns using devices such as smartwatches; but how accurate are they? They give a rough estimate, especially for sleep duration and timing. However, they’re not always accurate for distinguishing between sleep stages or diagnosing disorders. Use them as a general guide, not a medical tool.

Some people can get through their sleep cycle, wake up and then fall into a deep sleep again. This may be a sign of sleep inertia — your brain trying to return to restorative stages due to sleep deprivation. It can also happen when waking during a deep sleep cycle or after interrupted sleep patterns (e.g., shift work or jet lag).

We know that most adults need at least seven hours of sleep, however, with the way lifestyles are set up right now, some may try to get these seven hours in, in intervals. Segmented sleep (polyphasic) isn’t ideal for most. Consolidated, uninterrupted sleep allows the body to cycle naturally through all sleep stages. However, biphasic sleep (e.g., 6 hours at night and a 90-minute nap) can work for some — especially shift workers — if done consistently. Short naps (20–30 mins) can be beneficial. But regular excessive sleep may need evaluation.

Life is hectic for everyone; many people have multiple to do lists and thoughts racing through their minds when they’re trying to wind down to sleep. This causes and can be caused by anxiety, unresolved stress and overstimulation before bed. Try actioning the list above to see if these steps work for you until our next article.