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What are possible signs of too little deep sleep?

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Updated

In this article, you will learn which signs may indicate too little deep sleep, how deep sleep fits into the sleep cycle, and when medical advice may be helpful.

Deep sleep is a particularly important sleep phase. During this phase, your body recovers intensively, the immune system is supported, and physical regeneration takes place. If you have too little deep sleep over a longer period of time, this can affect how you feel during the day.

Possible signs:
A common sign of too little deep sleep is feeling tired, exhausted, or drained during the day, even if you supposedly slept long enough. Some people also report pronounced daytime sleepiness, in which they could easily doze off, for example while reading, watching TV, or in quiet situations. Morning headaches can also be a possible sign.

Possible causes:
In some people, no clear cause for a lack of deep sleep can be identified. In other cases, sleep-related breathing disorders, such as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), may play a role. In this case, breathing repeatedly stops during the night, often accompanied by loud snoring. Those affected wake up unconsciously several times without remembering it the next day. As a result, sleep remains very light overall and not very restorative.

Deep sleep in the sleep cycle:
A sleep cycle lasts about 90 minutes on average and includes all sleep phases. Several such cycles are completed each night. At the beginning of the night, the proportion of deep sleep is particularly high, while REM sleep is still shorter. Toward morning, the proportion of deep sleep decreases, while REM sleep becomes longer.

Important to know: Even with a shorter total sleep time, a relatively large amount of deep sleep is reached first, because the body prioritizes this phase.

Changes with age:
The proportion of deep sleep changes over the course of life. While in younger adults deep sleep still makes up a larger proportion of total sleep, it decreases with increasing age. Between about 30 and 80 years of age, the proportion of deep sleep decreases significantly. At the same time, sleep becomes lighter overall, falling asleep takes longer, nighttime waking occurs more often, and sleep efficiency can also decrease. These changes are a normal part of aging.

When should you seek medical advice?
If you experience severe daytime tiredness, feeling drained, or exhaustion over a longer period, it may make sense to discuss this with your doctor. This can help clarify whether there is a cause requiring treatment and which next steps may be helpful.

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