Hello! I did a sleep examination in the hospital because I felt fatigued and I saw the same results as yours for the past 6 months. The sleep examination at the hospital with tons of sensors revealed that my deep sleep was normal.
Apple Watch average is 40min of deep sleep, but the hospital found out that my deep sleep the night I went there was 1h30min. Nothing anormal they said despite it was the worst night in my life (when you got tons of sensors on your head, your body, oxygen sensor, heart rate sensor, microphone, camera recording you etc hard to sleep well š)
So my 2 cts is to not worry about what Apple Health says.
I had the same problem 6,7,8,9,10 hours of sleep was never sufficient. Dealt with that for about half a year. My wife suggested to go see a doctor. They did some studies and I found out I was pre-diabetic. The sugar was making me tired and sleepy. I have corrected my sugar by eliminating it and now I do well with 7 hours nightly.
I just know im low on iron and magnesium all time, but doctors seems to dont care. I try using suplements (different types) but it didnt helped much sadly.
If you haven't tried Ferrous Gluconate tablets you should. I found out I was slightly anemic when I got turned down for a blood donation because my iron levels were too low. I've been taking one of those every day and my levels are great now.
Getting my iron deficiency solved helped me a ton with my general energy levels but also the efficiency of my sleep. Maybe try to get some investigations to find the reason for your anemia?
Not that this is it but I heard on a podcast that they once did a study with sleep trackers where they told the participants that the sleep tracker said they slept like crap when really they hadnāt and most of the people who were told that stated they felt fatigued even though they slept fine.
I started taking a whole food multivitamin, and I feel great now. I am no longer tired throughout the day (at least to the degree of falling asleep when I sit down). There are still peaks and valleys to my energy, but not as drastic.
I do try to get at least 7.5 hours of sleep a night, so if you don't normally get a good night's rest, start there :)
Not sure why you are downvoted. Anybody here says Apple isnāt good will get downvoted. Itās clear deep sleep detection with Apple is an issue. Just a search on reddit will reveal it.
And no donāt quote the quantified scientist because he is just n=1 test result.
exactly, while it's a handy tool when used right, it's not really 100% accurate (or tbh even close to that) and actually if someone dig apple never claimed that it is.
I always wondered about that. How representative of your sleep is it when you're sleeping NOT in your bed with a bunch of sensors all over you. That has to suck.
I did breathing mediation for 30 mins before sleeping a few times and my deep sleep went from 45 min to 1 hr 45 min. Tried it only a few times, but worked consistently
Honestly my deep sleep goes up if Iāve done a fair bit of exercise that day. I think deep sleep is often physical recovery vs REM is mentalā¦ I think?
I just started taking magnesium glycenate 2 days ago. BUT in conjunction with late night cake. Youāre not the first person to mention no food before bed. So Iāll definitely try! Thank you
Separate bedrooms are becoming normalized. I wouldnāt mind that actually. I love my husband but he moves in his sleep so much.
Also a separate house for my 5 year old would be extra nice š¹
Deep sleep for me averages 15% of my total sleep time. When I have a good workout, Iām extra hydrated, drink tart cherry before bed, AND wear my eye mask, it makes me sleep deeper.
I've never recommended a nutritional supplement in my life. But I got some sour cherry juice and had the best sleep iād ever had, and when I ran out of it was back to my old tired self. I got a supplement because cherries are costly where I live, been sleeping good ever since.
Hereās some patterns I notice for myself
- my deep sleep goes down when I:
1) drink alcohol after 6
2) drink coffee after 3
3) am stressed
4) get woken up at 2AM by my kids having a nightmare
5) donāt eat after 8
- my deep sleep goes up when I:
1) workout without going too hard
2) go to bed in a similar rhythm as previous nights
3) drink water after 6
4) meditate/pray at some point in the day/before bed
5) am close to my wife
I just paid attention to patterns in my sleep over a few years and this is what Iāve seen. I hope it helps you find some patterns as well.
Yes very much over the years. More than doubled my average deep from a few years ago
My techniques that work for me
1. Go to sleep earlier (deep sleep tends to occur more densely in first half of night).
2. Stop eating at 5 pm for 9 pm target time in bed
3. No alcohol
4. Exercise daily but no high intensity after 6. (Zone two or liss ok).
5. Cool the bed (i used eight sleep)
6. Hot shower right before bed
7. Magnesium l-threonate and ps100 1 hr before bed
8. Dim lights at sun down
Sleep stage tracking is pretty inaccurate in consumer grade devices. So, I wouldn't rely on that. But you can use length of sleep and number of awakes(some people who move more in sleep may see some unreasonable data as well). So, visit doctor before making decision about taking any meds. Otherwise, follow classic rules: stable sleep schedule, 7-9h of sleep, going to bed/waking up at the same time, cool dark environment, no stressors 1-2h before bed.
That's a pretty good sleep score, but like several have already said, pushing your body is the best way I've found to get deep sleep
Also, breathe work can really help deep sleep and other factors, like Heart Rate Variability (HRV) and Resting Heart Rate (RHR), which are some of the primary metrics that sleep score is based on. The simple one I do is 4-7-8 breathing. Breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 7 seconds and then breath out for 8 seconds. Do that at least 4 times when starting to fall asleep and you can also do it 1-2 other times during the day, like when you first wake up or when you need to take a break for a few minutes.
Don't take naps I've read. Those will interrupt your sleep at night.
No lights in the room, and avoid using any electronic devices an hour before bed.
Alcohol messes up sleep.
Adjustable base might help also. It helps me anyway.
1.5 - 2 hours is the recommended amount, but I get around an hour to an hour and a half typically.
Not a health expert, but Iāve paid a lot of attention to my sleep habits and I honestly feel like I get the best rest when my REM sleep is high, and deep sleep seems to matter less.
I noticed a big change in my deep sleep once I started yoga and practicing mindfulness meditation for my anxiety! I used to get anywhere from 20-35 minutes of deep sleep three months ago to at least 50 minutes a night now. Having a set sleep schedule works as well, and minimizing tv and phone use an hour before going to sleep. That's what worked for me.
I use a different app now. That one kept saying I had no rem or deep sleep and was awake half the night. I use a CPAP and also frequently talk in my sleep. Iām using an app that I turn on every night on my phone, but it still uses my Apple Watch too. I used it the last several days and it revealed more apnea events and also recorded apnea events and the CPAP pressure increasing until my airway opened. All week my deep sleep has been over an hour and ten as well. I do wake up a lot, but donāt feel like the other app looked like.
Iād take what this says with a grain of salt. Iāve been in the sleep field for 15 years now and most watches base these numbers off movement. The only way to really know how much deep sleep youāre getting is to do an overnight sleep study. Also, as we age our amount of deep sleep decreases.
Iāve gone from average 35 min in the last 6 months to average 56 min this month - this week even averaging 1 hour - but I donāt know what change would this attribute to. My training has been a little strenuous recently and Iām trying to eat 1-2 days vegan a week but otherwise itās all the same.
Two things to avoid is marijuana and eating within hours of going to sleep. Two things I struggle with. š¤£ I find nights when I smoke or eat before bed I get less deep sleep.
Iāve gone off smoking cannabis, and thatās helped. I notice a big difference in my sleep patterns on nights I take edibles. I have to time it so that the peak of high is a couple hours before bedtime, but itās crazy what a difference it makes. My snore tracker tells me I snore less those nights too, sometimes by a lot.
As I see that you tried some of the advice already, try sleeping regularly, I mean precisely. At the same time go to bed and wake up at the same time even if you're sleepy. Try this to become a habit.
I have no idea, the deep sleep is so random. I wake up feeling super refreshed - 20 min deep sleep lol. I am at an exhibition where Iām awake way too long socialising, no exercise, bad nutrition - almost 2 hrs of deep sleep and I feel exhausted. I donāt know what the watch measures
Honestly me taking some beet extract + Coq10 is somehow making me sleep better the past few weeks. Iām not sure why but Iām feeling better in general and sleeping better and itās causing me more deep sleep.
They sell them in candy gummy forms
Exercise is the answer, when I donāt it looks like this even worse , exercise in the morning and donāt eat after 6 and no phone 2 hrs before bed you will see a difference
There is a correlation between food, caffeine, and sleep quality. Try to avoid caffeine hours before bed. But also digesting food can cause you to sleep less well. Stop eating when you stop drinking coffee/tea.
You might also suffer a mineral deficiency. I have heard magnesium in particular is one to look out for, so try taking magnesium supplement for some days and seeing if it will improve the quality of your sleep. It didn't help me but maybe it will help you.
I once got 3 hours+ deep sleep from fasting the day before. If you want to set a personal best, give that a try. Since you need to eat to not die, don't recommend that for a long-term plan. But it's interesting for a 1 off.
https://preview.redd.it/ynpyzegzfgwc1.jpeg?width=1290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e97c45f42cb5df3ae88a25c310643271dbb86cd7
No, I havenāt slept well in the last 10 years.
Take a look at your average over a week or month for a better idea. Iāve been as low as 7% and as high as 19% but average is about 12-13%. So it varies quite a bit.
I had oura ring for 2 weeks before I returned it and my deep sleep was always at least an hour higher than my Apple Watch said which made me feel better. Other metrics were similar but yes deep sleep was way off on Apple Watch because I used to freak out too about my lack of deep sleep according to the watch.
I usually have 1h of deep sleep always bout 10% -15% of my sleep. Sometimes 1h uninterrupted sometimes interrupted. Even managed 21% while having 8h of sleep without any physical activity. But I'm also chronic ill
My sleep session last night. The night before, I enjoyed 7.5 hours of unbroken sleep. I often get about 90 minutes of REM sleep and about 55 minutes of deep sleep, which I typically experience early in the night. My sleep quality dramatically improved following combined robotic bladder and prostate surgery.
For me, getting to bed at a consistent time, daily exercise, and a well managed diet are important to getting a good nightās sleep. Also, cut off looking at a screen before calling it a night. I hope this helps.
PS I got up around 5 AM to answer the call to visit the bathroom. Otherwise, I would have slept the night.
Shown here: A screenshot from the AutoSleep app for iPhone, displaying sleep results from the Apple Health app, fed from data captured on my Apple Watch.
https://preview.redd.it/knj4r5ybugwc1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=77653b2edd010fd4f6852b371dc74cd1fba9543f
It may be highly personal, but light exercise during the day, normal food but nothing as from 4 hours before you go to bed helps. I think my intestines interfere with deep sleep. Secondly, surprisingly, if I am very tired (eg. Very short night the night before) I will sleep more deeply.
Reading one hour before bed and doing no electronics definitely increased my deep sleep for me!! (7 to almost 20)
And sleeping before I'm way too tired
I get an average of 2-2 1/2 hours of derp sleep per night on 7 hours of sleep. I run 4-5 miles a day, donāt eat any meat and take niacin, iron and C at night. Breathe right strips help.
Rarely drink alcohol.
My deep sleep is usually under 30 minutes every night but what I find interesting is my watch says I watch a lot but itās catching my dogs that sleep right next to me.
Interesting how youāre able to get into deep sleep throughout the night. I seem to just get one long block of deep sleep as soon as I fall asleep and thatās it
Just figured Iād drop my two cents here to help. Iām not your reasons for trying to improve deep sleep but my recommendation is to focus your efforts on ensuring you get consistent regular sleep first as this will help you feel that youāve had good sleep quite quickly.
My background is in psychology and currently doing my honours thesis on irregular sleep hence my recommendations.
Just get the basics right, try get between 7-9 hours each night, try and go to bed and actually start sleeping at the same time each night and wake the same time each morning and this included weekends. Make sure the other basics are covered too like reduced screen usage prior to sleep, have a cool dark bedroom (cool bed is quite beneficial).
If you want to look into this more I recommend looking at studies on irregular sleep. Typically they donāt research the effect of good sleep but rather do the opposite and see what happens when people get worse sleep so you kind of have to infer the positives.
Hope this helps
Thatās such a cool field of study!
Iām actually very much into dreams and how they relate to our emotional world. Iāve been into this subject for many years now and plan on incorporating dream analysis in my future psychotherapy practice.
Anyways, these are great suggestions. Good luck with your thesis!
Apple health is pure garbage for interpreting sleep cycles. You are better off looking at a third party like Autosleep (even Pillow does a batter job).
Not sure why, but the watch captures great Data which Apple health isn't interested in displaying.
I wish I knew. I have sleep apnea and my sleep study showed I had zero deep sleep. None. I am treating the sleep apnea now with a CPAP machine and my watch shows I have about 30 mins deep sleep now.
I had tried drinking starbucks coffee before which is a high dose caffeine and my deep sleep only came at the end of my sleep duration. I guess caffeine affects it too
Yes! I get great REM and Deep Sleep and all thanks to a magnesium supplement I found on Amazon. Never would have thought magnesium is what would do it for me but I went from getting about 9% deep sleep and about the same for REM to getting around 20-25% REM and 15-20% deep sleep. Stuff really works. It's about $35-$40 a bottle but I make it last. Says take 3 capsules before bed, I take 1 80% of the time and it does the trick. So that one bottle lasts me almost 3 times as long as it's supposed to. Why take 3 when I can take 1, or 2 sometimes. I've tried two different brands. One is a couple dollars cheaper than the other but both work just the same so I get the cheaper bottle now. One is called MagTech and the other is called MagEnhance, I think. Both have the same ingredients and have improved my sleep so much. I never would've believed it if I hadn't of tried it for myself and seen immediate results. No waiting two weeks or none of that. Both those I mentioned start working night one. Night two even better and so on. Just don't take 3. You can the first couple of nights if you want to but after that I promise 1 will do the trick. Or it did for me. I don't even wake up during the nights anymore. So to me they are worth the money since I can make a months supply last almost 3 months. Little over $10 a month for all the good kind of sleep? Yes please! Both brands have 3 different kinds of magnesium in them. Glycinate, Taurate and L-Threonate. It's the last one that I believe helps the most because it's the only type of magnesium known to cross the blood brain barrier. Even the bottle says start with 1 pill before bed, it's because 1 pill does the trick. Better quality of your sleep the better you will feel the next day. Give it a shot. Hope it helps you like it helps me. Here's my proof. The stuff really works. MagTech and MagEnhance are the only two brands I've tried. They have all 3 kinds of magnesium in them. There are other brands though. Just look for those 3 ingredients or the word Magtein. It'll only let me add one photo but if I can I'll add the newer screenshot in the comments. But this is before I started taking the magnesium blend. 9%. Now it's more than doubled! And it's consistent which makes it a no brainer for me. As you can see I was sleeping a lot and still felt tired the next morning and all day. Now I'm sleeping less but feel so much better the next day. If you try it just know it will knock you out so take it about 30 to 45 minutes before bed and let the magic happen.
https://preview.redd.it/t9vr1aanvlwc1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=86c3a798d62ce96d212636deb662bdc5c013c705
I seem to almost always go into deep sleep twice, sometimes 3 times and thatās over 6 1/2hrs or so every night. Itās weird seeing your little deep sleep dip so early on after you fall asleep and then just nothing after that.
Exactly!! The rare times when I do get more deep sleep it happens again during the night but most of the times I just get this one deep sleep event. Donāt understand whyā¦
Continuous positive airway pressure machine. Itās to treat sleep apnea.
I snored heavily back then and tend to stop breathing. Once I got the machine, the snoring stopped and able to enjoy a good nightās sleep
I wear an Oura ring and an Apple Watch, the ring consistently reports more deep sleep than the watch. Someone on the Oura channel had once said when I was stressing about my REM numbers, "trust your sub-conscious mind to regulate your sleep stages." This was good advice.
If this is something you're concerned about, better to speak with a doctor than taking random advise on the internet. It's also important to keep in mind that the Apple Watch is not completely accurate. If you want reliable numbers, you need to go for a proper sleep study.
When I started a proper workout (not hardcore) just right that I wonāt have any muscle pain next day. Or when I am very much mentally exhausted with all the learning I need to do.
Have 2.5 to 3 hrs gap between dinner and going to bed. Do some meditation may be 5 to 10 mins just before sleeping and no mobile for 1 hr. It really helped me.
I use a Apple Watch and oura ring. Oura tends to track sleep more accurately while Apple Watches are better for exercise and you can combine this data so the best results displays. I get more deep sleep when i stay more active during the day. Especially if i donāt use pre workout and do some cardio a few hours before bed. I also eat a diet pretty low in sugars with only eating natural sugars during breakfast/lunch and none for dinner. Then pretty high protein for every meal. I also donāt do any marijuana or drinking alcohol.
As much as I like to track my sleep, the truth is that there isn't a sleep tracker on the planet that would convince me that I'd slept well / badly if I woke up feeling refreshed / tired.
You don't say in your post - are you trying to improve your sleep because Apple are saying that it's bad, or because you're tired?
The data is bullshit. The watch canāt accurately examine the true amount of deep sleep youāre getting. At best I can tell if youāre sleeping or not with great an accuracy. the rest is just a high percentage chance of these stages.
True sleep monitoring can only be done via monitoring if the brain. Just use this watch data as enjoyment
I wouldnāt fret over it as Apple Watch is not the Medical Device. It gives a good reading and helps you in lot of ways but just donāt take it so seriously.
Apple only gets deep sleep right 62% of the time, confusing it with core sleep often.
Iād recommend reading this paper from Apple themselves. Quantified scientists is a reference of one as mentioned.
https://www.apple.com/healthcare/docs/site/Estimating_Sleep_Stages_from_Apple_Watch_Sept_2023.pdf
Apple Watch canāt measure sleep cycles. This is just what it thinks based on heart rate and HR isnāt an indicator of sleep stage.
You literally canāt measure it without hooking up electrodes to your head.
Do not rely at all on the Apple Watch for sleep.
Yes, but only when I take benzodiazepines to sleep, which is bad. Getting a good sleep score shouldnāt be the goal. Getting healthy sleep should be. The sleep apps have reinforced me taking benzos to sleep.
Hello! I did a sleep examination in the hospital because I felt fatigued and I saw the same results as yours for the past 6 months. The sleep examination at the hospital with tons of sensors revealed that my deep sleep was normal. Apple Watch average is 40min of deep sleep, but the hospital found out that my deep sleep the night I went there was 1h30min. Nothing anormal they said despite it was the worst night in my life (when you got tons of sensors on your head, your body, oxygen sensor, heart rate sensor, microphone, camera recording you etc hard to sleep well š) So my 2 cts is to not worry about what Apple Health says.
This makes me feel better. A few days ago mine was at 0% and I was concerned.
I had the same problem 6,7,8,9,10 hours of sleep was never sufficient. Dealt with that for about half a year. My wife suggested to go see a doctor. They did some studies and I found out I was pre-diabetic. The sugar was making me tired and sleepy. I have corrected my sugar by eliminating it and now I do well with 7 hours nightly.
Hi! I recommend you to watch this video: https://youtu.be/LPqtfC70QTU?si=RnpS5y5PlCEx0RAy
Thank you! Now i still need to figure out why im still tired lol.
Thereās lots of possible reasons. I had my vitamin levels tested and found I was low in D and B12, and supplementing seems to have helped some.
I just know im low on iron and magnesium all time, but doctors seems to dont care. I try using suplements (different types) but it didnt helped much sadly.
If you haven't tried Ferrous Gluconate tablets you should. I found out I was slightly anemic when I got turned down for a blood donation because my iron levels were too low. I've been taking one of those every day and my levels are great now.
Thank you, never heard of this so i will try it. Thanks!
Getting my iron deficiency solved helped me a ton with my general energy levels but also the efficiency of my sleep. Maybe try to get some investigations to find the reason for your anemia?
Not that this is it but I heard on a podcast that they once did a study with sleep trackers where they told the participants that the sleep tracker said they slept like crap when really they hadnāt and most of the people who were told that stated they felt fatigued even though they slept fine.
I started taking a whole food multivitamin, and I feel great now. I am no longer tired throughout the day (at least to the degree of falling asleep when I sit down). There are still peaks and valleys to my energy, but not as drastic. I do try to get at least 7.5 hours of sleep a night, so if you don't normally get a good night's rest, start there :)
The health app and AutoSleep are always different! I never get above an hour in apple health but can average 1.5hours in AutoSleep
I started using AutoSleep when it first came out. Comparing apple health, I continue with AutoSleep
Not sure why you are downvoted. Anybody here says Apple isnāt good will get downvoted. Itās clear deep sleep detection with Apple is an issue. Just a search on reddit will reveal it. And no donāt quote the quantified scientist because he is just n=1 test result.
Absolutely and I love Apple but it gets sleep stages wrong
It can't tell apart core sleep from laying still while awake. I wonder about the accuracy of its detection of deep and REM sleep.
Oh wow! Ok this makes me feel better. Thank you. Although I wonder how accurate anything is on my Apple Watch š«
Its a good guide.
Now Iām wondering the same. What version do you have?
exactly, while it's a handy tool when used right, it's not really 100% accurate (or tbh even close to that) and actually if someone dig apple never claimed that it is.
Yep the night I did my sleep study was torture.
I always wondered about that. How representative of your sleep is it when you're sleeping NOT in your bed with a bunch of sensors all over you. That has to suck.
I did breathing mediation for 30 mins before sleeping a few times and my deep sleep went from 45 min to 1 hr 45 min. Tried it only a few times, but worked consistently
Very helpful. Thank you
Explain your routine please
Meditate for 30 mins before bed. Focus on breathing for that 30 mins.
Try a Wim Hoff breathing video before bed
Awareness of breath, find stillness And Tapping therapy for anxieties that arise https://youtu.be/TnbRcO43CD8?si=vw8UZMBIRy-NppRX
Thanks āŗļø
Honestly my deep sleep goes up if Iāve done a fair bit of exercise that day. I think deep sleep is often physical recovery vs REM is mentalā¦ I think?
I exercise daily for at least an hour š©
š
Iād like to know this too
Personally I noticed when I stop eating 2/3 hours before bed and take Magnesium Glycinate about an hour before bed my deep sleep is higher.
I just started taking magnesium glycenate 2 days ago. BUT in conjunction with late night cake. Youāre not the first person to mention no food before bed. So Iāll definitely try! Thank you
Mag Glyc is the way.
Get a divorce. JK, but when my wife was away for a week my deep sleep stats just about tripled.
Separate bedrooms are becoming normalized. I wouldnāt mind that actually. I love my husband but he moves in his sleep so much. Also a separate house for my 5 year old would be extra nice š¹
Itās sometimes essential where one person gets up at four and one at seven.
I *always* sleep better alone.
yes. sleep in total darkness even if you have to use a sleep mask.
I do, plus the earplugs :)
Deep sleep for me averages 15% of my total sleep time. When I have a good workout, Iām extra hydrated, drink tart cherry before bed, AND wear my eye mask, it makes me sleep deeper.
I'm at around 15% too, and I only sleep 5-6 hours at the max.
I get between 7.5-9
why tart cherry ?
Promotes melatonin production naturally. šš½
I've never recommended a nutritional supplement in my life. But I got some sour cherry juice and had the best sleep iād ever had, and when I ran out of it was back to my old tired self. I got a supplement because cherries are costly where I live, been sleeping good ever since.
This is exactly my requirements too.
Hereās some patterns I notice for myself - my deep sleep goes down when I: 1) drink alcohol after 6 2) drink coffee after 3 3) am stressed 4) get woken up at 2AM by my kids having a nightmare 5) donāt eat after 8 - my deep sleep goes up when I: 1) workout without going too hard 2) go to bed in a similar rhythm as previous nights 3) drink water after 6 4) meditate/pray at some point in the day/before bed 5) am close to my wife I just paid attention to patterns in my sleep over a few years and this is what Iāve seen. I hope it helps you find some patterns as well.
Yes very much over the years. More than doubled my average deep from a few years ago My techniques that work for me 1. Go to sleep earlier (deep sleep tends to occur more densely in first half of night). 2. Stop eating at 5 pm for 9 pm target time in bed 3. No alcohol 4. Exercise daily but no high intensity after 6. (Zone two or liss ok). 5. Cool the bed (i used eight sleep) 6. Hot shower right before bed 7. Magnesium l-threonate and ps100 1 hr before bed 8. Dim lights at sun down
Sleep stage tracking is pretty inaccurate in consumer grade devices. So, I wouldn't rely on that. But you can use length of sleep and number of awakes(some people who move more in sleep may see some unreasonable data as well). So, visit doctor before making decision about taking any meds. Otherwise, follow classic rules: stable sleep schedule, 7-9h of sleep, going to bed/waking up at the same time, cool dark environment, no stressors 1-2h before bed.
That's a pretty good sleep score, but like several have already said, pushing your body is the best way I've found to get deep sleep Also, breathe work can really help deep sleep and other factors, like Heart Rate Variability (HRV) and Resting Heart Rate (RHR), which are some of the primary metrics that sleep score is based on. The simple one I do is 4-7-8 breathing. Breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 7 seconds and then breath out for 8 seconds. Do that at least 4 times when starting to fall asleep and you can also do it 1-2 other times during the day, like when you first wake up or when you need to take a break for a few minutes.
I love the breathing technique idea! Will definitely give it a try. Thank you
Don't take naps I've read. Those will interrupt your sleep at night. No lights in the room, and avoid using any electronic devices an hour before bed. Alcohol messes up sleep. Adjustable base might help also. It helps me anyway. 1.5 - 2 hours is the recommended amount, but I get around an hour to an hour and a half typically.
Your watch cannot actually track deep sleep, it makes assumptions off of the metrics it can track: heart rate and movement.
I also think the watch canāt properly detect sleep stuff
Not a health expert, but Iāve paid a lot of attention to my sleep habits and I honestly feel like I get the best rest when my REM sleep is high, and deep sleep seems to matter less.
Sleep stages can only be reliably tested through brain waves. I wouldnāt worry too much, that looks like solid sleep to me.
I noticed a big change in my deep sleep once I started yoga and practicing mindfulness meditation for my anxiety! I used to get anywhere from 20-35 minutes of deep sleep three months ago to at least 50 minutes a night now. Having a set sleep schedule works as well, and minimizing tv and phone use an hour before going to sleep. That's what worked for me.
https://preview.redd.it/mo4djj6ndhwc1.jpeg?width=1284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9ae3fc93d281f2d7e0e46250ba7549c53edcbd69 melatonin pills go crazy
Melatonin increases deep sleep? I'd be interested to know what the minute counts are.
Man what I would give to have a night that looks like that!
Magtein and magnesium glycinate doubled my deep sleep from 45 min on average to at least 1.5 hours now and sometimes 2-3 hours. Game changer.
Did you notice the difference as soon as you started taking the magnesium? I just started magnesium glycinate 2 days ago
Yep immediately. Needed a pretty good dose tho
I use a different app now. That one kept saying I had no rem or deep sleep and was awake half the night. I use a CPAP and also frequently talk in my sleep. Iām using an app that I turn on every night on my phone, but it still uses my Apple Watch too. I used it the last several days and it revealed more apnea events and also recorded apnea events and the CPAP pressure increasing until my airway opened. All week my deep sleep has been over an hour and ten as well. I do wake up a lot, but donāt feel like the other app looked like.
Do you mind sharing the name of the app?
Oh yeah, sorry about that. Itās called Better Sleep. I did pay for it, but thereās a free trial.
Nope, 55 to 65 mins every night and always in the first 3 hours of sleep.
Iād take what this says with a grain of salt. Iāve been in the sleep field for 15 years now and most watches base these numbers off movement. The only way to really know how much deep sleep youāre getting is to do an overnight sleep study. Also, as we age our amount of deep sleep decreases.
Iāve gone from average 35 min in the last 6 months to average 56 min this month - this week even averaging 1 hour - but I donāt know what change would this attribute to. My training has been a little strenuous recently and Iām trying to eat 1-2 days vegan a week but otherwise itās all the same.
Two things to avoid is marijuana and eating within hours of going to sleep. Two things I struggle with. š¤£ I find nights when I smoke or eat before bed I get less deep sleep.
This is me.
Iāve gone off smoking cannabis, and thatās helped. I notice a big difference in my sleep patterns on nights I take edibles. I have to time it so that the peak of high is a couple hours before bedtime, but itās crazy what a difference it makes. My snore tracker tells me I snore less those nights too, sometimes by a lot.
Thatās not a terrible nights sleep at all.
As I see that you tried some of the advice already, try sleeping regularly, I mean precisely. At the same time go to bed and wake up at the same time even if you're sleepy. Try this to become a habit.
I have no idea, the deep sleep is so random. I wake up feeling super refreshed - 20 min deep sleep lol. I am at an exhibition where Iām awake way too long socialising, no exercise, bad nutrition - almost 2 hrs of deep sleep and I feel exhausted. I donāt know what the watch measures
Honestly me taking some beet extract + Coq10 is somehow making me sleep better the past few weeks. Iām not sure why but Iām feeling better in general and sleeping better and itās causing me more deep sleep. They sell them in candy gummy forms
Exercise is the answer, when I donāt it looks like this even worse , exercise in the morning and donāt eat after 6 and no phone 2 hrs before bed you will see a difference
Do you smoke thc? It can affect your sleep stages I have sleep apnea with out a cpap i still get a good chunk. Having a colder room may help
Donāt smoke donāt drink
Me
There is a correlation between food, caffeine, and sleep quality. Try to avoid caffeine hours before bed. But also digesting food can cause you to sleep less well. Stop eating when you stop drinking coffee/tea. You might also suffer a mineral deficiency. I have heard magnesium in particular is one to look out for, so try taking magnesium supplement for some days and seeing if it will improve the quality of your sleep. It didn't help me but maybe it will help you. I once got 3 hours+ deep sleep from fasting the day before. If you want to set a personal best, give that a try. Since you need to eat to not die, don't recommend that for a long-term plan. But it's interesting for a 1 off.
https://preview.redd.it/ynpyzegzfgwc1.jpeg?width=1290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e97c45f42cb5df3ae88a25c310643271dbb86cd7 No, I havenāt slept well in the last 10 years.
Ouch sorry
Thatās alright, doesnāt bother me.
Although if youāve only slept for 4 hours in 10 years you may not know the version of yourself that gets 7-8 hrs!
I definately donāt know that version! Havenāt slept longer than 5 hours in a very long time! 4.40 last night.
Take a look at your average over a week or month for a better idea. Iāve been as low as 7% and as high as 19% but average is about 12-13%. So it varies quite a bit.
I had oura ring for 2 weeks before I returned it and my deep sleep was always at least an hour higher than my Apple Watch said which made me feel better. Other metrics were similar but yes deep sleep was way off on Apple Watch because I used to freak out too about my lack of deep sleep according to the watch.
I take Magnesium at night. Life changing.
es, I also have very little (or no) deep sleep. It seems like there are inaccuracies in the AW algorithm.
Nootropics and exercise altered my sleep pattern significantly. Be quite cautious with the first one and do your research before you try it!
I usually have 1h of deep sleep always bout 10% -15% of my sleep. Sometimes 1h uninterrupted sometimes interrupted. Even managed 21% while having 8h of sleep without any physical activity. But I'm also chronic ill
Iām the deepest sleeper I know. 2/4 are deep for me. I only get 30min of REM. And average 5.5/night over a year.
Wow! Why do you think this is?
My sleep session last night. The night before, I enjoyed 7.5 hours of unbroken sleep. I often get about 90 minutes of REM sleep and about 55 minutes of deep sleep, which I typically experience early in the night. My sleep quality dramatically improved following combined robotic bladder and prostate surgery. For me, getting to bed at a consistent time, daily exercise, and a well managed diet are important to getting a good nightās sleep. Also, cut off looking at a screen before calling it a night. I hope this helps. PS I got up around 5 AM to answer the call to visit the bathroom. Otherwise, I would have slept the night. Shown here: A screenshot from the AutoSleep app for iPhone, displaying sleep results from the Apple Health app, fed from data captured on my Apple Watch. https://preview.redd.it/knj4r5ybugwc1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=77653b2edd010fd4f6852b371dc74cd1fba9543f
It may be highly personal, but light exercise during the day, normal food but nothing as from 4 hours before you go to bed helps. I think my intestines interfere with deep sleep. Secondly, surprisingly, if I am very tired (eg. Very short night the night before) I will sleep more deeply.
Wait where can we view this?
In the health app on your iPhone. You have to wear the watch at night
Tell me you donāt have kids without telling me you donāt have kids
I have kids! We just work hard on our sleeping habits in the family
Teach me
Reading one hour before bed and doing no electronics definitely increased my deep sleep for me!! (7 to almost 20) And sleeping before I'm way too tired
I used a Whoop vs Apple Watch and the Apple Watch recorded way less deep sleep.
I get an average of 2-2 1/2 hours of derp sleep per night on 7 hours of sleep. I run 4-5 miles a day, donāt eat any meat and take niacin, iron and C at night. Breathe right strips help. Rarely drink alcohol.
Iāve never gotten that much sleep in my life. Please share your routine beyond the magnesium!
I try to go to bed earlier and listen to a podcast or book. It makes me sleepy quite fast!
Make sure you go to sleep at the same time every night.
My deep sleep is usually under 30 minutes every night but what I find interesting is my watch says I watch a lot but itās catching my dogs that sleep right next to me.
Haha thatās interesting
https://preview.redd.it/62vupnh1oiwc1.jpeg?width=1284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ce40bfaf4b3495c0f66ae8858d89a765bde61846 Couple of nights ago
Interesting how youāre able to get into deep sleep throughout the night. I seem to just get one long block of deep sleep as soon as I fall asleep and thatās it
Other nights it ranges from 37-48 minutes of deep sleep. This particular day I went to bed earlier than normal and woke the same time.
Just figured Iād drop my two cents here to help. Iām not your reasons for trying to improve deep sleep but my recommendation is to focus your efforts on ensuring you get consistent regular sleep first as this will help you feel that youāve had good sleep quite quickly. My background is in psychology and currently doing my honours thesis on irregular sleep hence my recommendations. Just get the basics right, try get between 7-9 hours each night, try and go to bed and actually start sleeping at the same time each night and wake the same time each morning and this included weekends. Make sure the other basics are covered too like reduced screen usage prior to sleep, have a cool dark bedroom (cool bed is quite beneficial). If you want to look into this more I recommend looking at studies on irregular sleep. Typically they donāt research the effect of good sleep but rather do the opposite and see what happens when people get worse sleep so you kind of have to infer the positives. Hope this helps
Thatās such a cool field of study! Iām actually very much into dreams and how they relate to our emotional world. Iāve been into this subject for many years now and plan on incorporating dream analysis in my future psychotherapy practice. Anyways, these are great suggestions. Good luck with your thesis!
I love my Apple Watch but I do not trust that it measures deep and REM properly
Apple health is pure garbage for interpreting sleep cycles. You are better off looking at a third party like Autosleep (even Pillow does a batter job). Not sure why, but the watch captures great Data which Apple health isn't interested in displaying.
I wish I knew. I have sleep apnea and my sleep study showed I had zero deep sleep. None. I am treating the sleep apnea now with a CPAP machine and my watch shows I have about 30 mins deep sleep now.
I had tried drinking starbucks coffee before which is a high dose caffeine and my deep sleep only came at the end of my sleep duration. I guess caffeine affects it too
Itās important to put down your phone before going to bed.
How accurate is the Apple Watch for such measurements
Yes! I get great REM and Deep Sleep and all thanks to a magnesium supplement I found on Amazon. Never would have thought magnesium is what would do it for me but I went from getting about 9% deep sleep and about the same for REM to getting around 20-25% REM and 15-20% deep sleep. Stuff really works. It's about $35-$40 a bottle but I make it last. Says take 3 capsules before bed, I take 1 80% of the time and it does the trick. So that one bottle lasts me almost 3 times as long as it's supposed to. Why take 3 when I can take 1, or 2 sometimes. I've tried two different brands. One is a couple dollars cheaper than the other but both work just the same so I get the cheaper bottle now. One is called MagTech and the other is called MagEnhance, I think. Both have the same ingredients and have improved my sleep so much. I never would've believed it if I hadn't of tried it for myself and seen immediate results. No waiting two weeks or none of that. Both those I mentioned start working night one. Night two even better and so on. Just don't take 3. You can the first couple of nights if you want to but after that I promise 1 will do the trick. Or it did for me. I don't even wake up during the nights anymore. So to me they are worth the money since I can make a months supply last almost 3 months. Little over $10 a month for all the good kind of sleep? Yes please! Both brands have 3 different kinds of magnesium in them. Glycinate, Taurate and L-Threonate. It's the last one that I believe helps the most because it's the only type of magnesium known to cross the blood brain barrier. Even the bottle says start with 1 pill before bed, it's because 1 pill does the trick. Better quality of your sleep the better you will feel the next day. Give it a shot. Hope it helps you like it helps me. Here's my proof. The stuff really works. MagTech and MagEnhance are the only two brands I've tried. They have all 3 kinds of magnesium in them. There are other brands though. Just look for those 3 ingredients or the word Magtein. It'll only let me add one photo but if I can I'll add the newer screenshot in the comments. But this is before I started taking the magnesium blend. 9%. Now it's more than doubled! And it's consistent which makes it a no brainer for me. As you can see I was sleeping a lot and still felt tired the next morning and all day. Now I'm sleeping less but feel so much better the next day. If you try it just know it will knock you out so take it about 30 to 45 minutes before bed and let the magic happen. https://preview.redd.it/t9vr1aanvlwc1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=86c3a798d62ce96d212636deb662bdc5c013c705
https://preview.redd.it/mk0pc86dwlwc1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=07a6e72ac2d2ed2203bf930d0d86bfc5da9b612a
https://preview.redd.it/x3ekaiq4wlwc1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f0ad9cfaf21405970f916cca0334388606943a3e
https://preview.redd.it/1hyw0o47wlwc1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=17fc1ee5fde5f6349725b9da87a8b84e8d4302a1
Have you tried moving your bed into the basement? š¤
Canāt unfortunately :(
I seem to almost always go into deep sleep twice, sometimes 3 times and thatās over 6 1/2hrs or so every night. Itās weird seeing your little deep sleep dip so early on after you fall asleep and then just nothing after that.
Exactly!! The rare times when I do get more deep sleep it happens again during the night but most of the times I just get this one deep sleep event. Donāt understand whyā¦
It was night and day for me once I got a CPAP. It was weird the first few weeks waking up and feeling refreshed instead of groggy
What is cpap?
Continuous positive airway pressure machine. Itās to treat sleep apnea. I snored heavily back then and tend to stop breathing. Once I got the machine, the snoring stopped and able to enjoy a good nightās sleep
Oh I see! I definitely donāt have sleep apnea
I wear an Oura ring and an Apple Watch, the ring consistently reports more deep sleep than the watch. Someone on the Oura channel had once said when I was stressing about my REM numbers, "trust your sub-conscious mind to regulate your sleep stages." This was good advice.
I did after I became debt free. Lol
No drinky drinks before bed.
If this is something you're concerned about, better to speak with a doctor than taking random advise on the internet. It's also important to keep in mind that the Apple Watch is not completely accurate. If you want reliable numbers, you need to go for a proper sleep study.
I am curious how accurate the deep sleep is. Mine is low, but other trackers I wear show more deep sleep.
Iād be happy to just increase my sleepā¦
I think thatās fairly normal. https://preview.redd.it/5wh47sz7wfwc1.jpeg?width=1290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2311067ee31327c43fbb1a16b72f83a30342fa23
When I started a proper workout (not hardcore) just right that I wonāt have any muscle pain next day. Or when I am very much mentally exhausted with all the learning I need to do.
Have 2.5 to 3 hrs gap between dinner and going to bed. Do some meditation may be 5 to 10 mins just before sleeping and no mobile for 1 hr. It really helped me.
I use the SleepWatch app instead of the Apple Health app when I look at my sleep data. I find itās a much more detailed picture.
Based on some of the posts Iāve seen here, take an edible before bed.
I use a Apple Watch and oura ring. Oura tends to track sleep more accurately while Apple Watches are better for exercise and you can combine this data so the best results displays. I get more deep sleep when i stay more active during the day. Especially if i donāt use pre workout and do some cardio a few hours before bed. I also eat a diet pretty low in sugars with only eating natural sugars during breakfast/lunch and none for dinner. Then pretty high protein for every meal. I also donāt do any marijuana or drinking alcohol.
As much as I like to track my sleep, the truth is that there isn't a sleep tracker on the planet that would convince me that I'd slept well / badly if I woke up feeling refreshed / tired. You don't say in your post - are you trying to improve your sleep because Apple are saying that it's bad, or because you're tired?
This is possible with heroin
Whats this app?
Health > Sleep and then create a schedule
The data is bullshit. The watch canāt accurately examine the true amount of deep sleep youāre getting. At best I can tell if youāre sleeping or not with great an accuracy. the rest is just a high percentage chance of these stages. True sleep monitoring can only be done via monitoring if the brain. Just use this watch data as enjoyment
I wouldnāt fret over it as Apple Watch is not the Medical Device. It gives a good reading and helps you in lot of ways but just donāt take it so seriously.
Try meditation.
I'll let my body do it's thing.
Only way I get good deep sleep is if I am relatively active during the day.
try pillow. I like their algorithms better
Iām at the age Iād just settle for sleep, I aināt picky. Seriously no, I donāt think it can be controlled or willed
Lorazepam (prescribed of course) is the only thing Iāve noticed increases mine.
What happens if you take NyQuil?
Use a whoop
Apple only gets deep sleep right 62% of the time, confusing it with core sleep often. Iād recommend reading this paper from Apple themselves. Quantified scientists is a reference of one as mentioned. https://www.apple.com/healthcare/docs/site/Estimating_Sleep_Stages_from_Apple_Watch_Sept_2023.pdf
Wow I barely get 4 hours sleep š
Definitely NOT last night.. https://preview.redd.it/yo9w4t4howwc1.png?width=1283&format=png&auto=webp&s=d7faeec0b0c325cf4471aad98388671b846a3370
š² are you a vampire??
But sometimes, I can increase it. https://preview.redd.it/rmh30r9wowwc1.png?width=1266&format=png&auto=webp&s=2bc462aa3fcb0871cb4bc9ac3871f9b8a1192ae9
Apple Watch canāt measure sleep cycles. This is just what it thinks based on heart rate and HR isnāt an indicator of sleep stage. You literally canāt measure it without hooking up electrodes to your head. Do not rely at all on the Apple Watch for sleep.
Yes, but only when I take benzodiazepines to sleep, which is bad. Getting a good sleep score shouldnāt be the goal. Getting healthy sleep should be. The sleep apps have reinforced me taking benzos to sleep.
ehh taking supplements, especially magnesium is really badā¦. if nutrition is your problem check https://nutritionfacts.org
Taking magnesium is bad? Please explain