From the Guidelines
Based on the provided sleep parameters, your sleep quality is suboptimal, and improvements are necessary to achieve better restorative sleep and overall well-being. The total sleep time is approximately 5.5 hours (331 minutes), which falls short of the recommended 7-9 hours for adults, as suggested by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine 1. While you have a good amount of core sleep (250 minutes), your deep sleep duration (27 minutes) is somewhat low, as it typically should comprise about 15-25% of total sleep time.
Key Sleep Parameters:
- Total sleep time: 331 minutes (approximately 5.5 hours)
- Core sleep: 250 minutes
- Deep sleep: 27 minutes
- REM sleep: 54 minutes
- Wake duration: 4 minutes
Your REM sleep (54 minutes) is adequate but could be better. The minimal wake time (4 minutes) suggests good sleep continuity once asleep. To improve your sleep quality, consider extending your total sleep time by going to bed earlier or waking up later. Focus on sleep hygiene practices such as:
- Maintaining a consistent sleep schedule
- Avoiding screens before bedtime
- Keeping your bedroom cool and dark
- Limiting caffeine and alcohol
- Engaging in relaxing activities before bed Regular exercise during the day can also help increase deep sleep, as supported by the principles of sleep regulation outlined in the two-process model for sleep regulation 1. These improvements are important because deep sleep is crucial for physical restoration, immune function, and memory consolidation, while adequate REM sleep supports emotional regulation and cognitive function.
From the Research
Sleep Quality Interpretation
The interpretation of sleep quality based on the provided parameters can be broken down into several components:
- Wake duration: A wake duration of 4 minutes is relatively short, indicating that the individual was able to maintain sleep throughout the night with minimal awakenings 2.
- Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep: REM sleep of 54 minutes may be considered low, as research suggests that adequate REM sleep is necessary for sleep continuity and cognitive function 3.
- Core sleep: Core sleep of 250 minutes is approximately 4.17 hours, which is below the recommended sleep duration for adults (7-9 hours) 4.
- Deep sleep: Deep sleep of 27 minutes is relatively short, and research suggests that deep sleep is important for physical restoration and overall sleep quality 5.
Comparison to Recommended Sleep Duration
The total sleep time of approximately 4.17 hours (core sleep) plus 54 minutes (REM sleep) and 27 minutes (deep sleep) is below the recommended sleep duration for adults, which may indicate poor sleep quality 4, 6.
- The National Sleep Foundation recommends 7-9 hours of sleep per night for adults, and sleeping outside of this range may be associated with negative health outcomes 4.
- Research suggests that partial sleep restriction, such as sleeping less than 7 hours per night, can have negative effects on sleepiness, reaction time, and overall health 6.
Sleep Profile
Based on the provided parameters, the individual's sleep profile may be characterized as "short, dissatisfied, and inefficient sleepers," which is associated with poor well-being outcomes 5.
- This sleep profile is characterized by insufficient sleep duration, low sleep satisfaction, and low sleep efficiency, which can have negative effects on physical and mental health 5.