Once upon a time, I could fall asleep anywhere instantly and wake refreshed. Much more recently, not only was I tired, but I knew that my poor sleep was increasing the risk of developing a number of chronic diseases.[1], [2], [3] I needed to figure this problem out and fix it. With that in mind, I bought an Oura ring.

Tracking sleep with a wearable would give me a way to record not just the length of my sleep, but also the sleep stages. I had also checked in with my doctor and had a sleep study which showed obstructive sleep apnea. I wanted to use my ring to run little “experiments” to see what I could do to improve my sleep.

Duration of Sleep

The first thing I noticed while tracking were my total hours of sleep. This matters, because the longer we are asleep, the more sleep cycles we generate. Each sleep cycle lasts 90 minutes or more, and a good sleep consists of 4 to 6 of these cycles.[4] Each of our sleep cycles involves four sleep stages. The first three stages consist of nonrapid eye movement (NREM). N1 is the stage where you’re relaxing and falling asleep; in N2, you are sleeping lightly; in N3, you are deeply sleeping. Stage 4, also called rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, is where your brain activity picks up, almost like you’re awake but you’re not. REM sleep is known for the most vivid dreams.[5]

Improving my N3 stage of sleep became my new goal. It has been found recently to be the most important stage of sleep for memory consolidation and learning. A decrease in deep sleep may correlate with increased dementia risk.[6] REM or dreaming sleep also plays a role in memory.[7]

Deep Sleep

The second thing I noticed was that the deeper the sleep I got, the more rested and energetic I felt. Generally, my deep sleep is 45 to 75 minutes, or 10–20% of my total sleep, which is within the normal range for an adult.[8] If I am closer to 45 minutes of deep sleep, I wake up feeling more tired and need a nap during the day. In humans, deep sleep is highest in a newborn and then decreases as we age, with some elderly people registering no deep sleep at all.[9]

The problem is that reduction in deep sleep not only correlates with an increased risk of dementia,[10] but it can also increase the risk of other chronic conditions including obesity, colon cancer, diabetes, and even the common cold.[11] I noticed that my longest deep-sleep stage occurs in the first cycle of the night. As the night progresses, my deep sleep stages shorten, and my REM sleep lengthens. Generally, my shorter deep sleep stages are due to my shorter total sleep nights.

Factors Impairing a Good Sleep

I can’t prevent growing older, but there are other factors influencing my deep sleep that I can change. Our bodies’ sleep-wake cycles sync to daylight and darkness. This means we are energized in the morning and feel sleepy at night. We also sleep best when we keep a regular bedtime and wake time. Sometimes we sabotage our own sleep, when we stay up later on the weekend and then sleep in. Even the changing seasons might affect us, since we tend to sleep longer in the winter in the northern hemisphere and wake up earlier in the summer in the southern hemisphere.[12]

Older people may experience a few issues preventing a good night’s sleep. There may be medical conditions that interfere with sleep such as depression, chronic pain, sleep apnea, or a need to get up to urinate during the night.[13] A “circadian rhythm sleep-wake disorder” may also be more likely to affect an older person. This is an inability to fall asleep, stay asleep, or wake at the desired time and can be due, in part, to vision loss or cognitive changes.[14] The decrease in melatonin that accompanies aging can also interfere with the sleep-wake cycle.[15]

Simple Things You Can Do to Readjust Your Sleep Cycle

To improve my overall sleep and especially my deep sleep, I go for a morning walk in the sunshine. This boosts cortisol and suppresses my melatonin production from the night before.[16] I have a full-spectrum light which I can turn on to simulate daylight if the weather is too cold to get outside. This type of bright-light therapy has even been shown to help people diagnosed with dementia to improve their sleep.[17] Shutting off my device screens early in the evening stops their light from inhibiting the rise of melatonin, which helps me feel sleepy.[18] I either don’t use or I moderate alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, and certain medications which affect sleep.[19]

Research has shown cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia to be as effective as sleeping pills, without the side effects.[20] Exercise, especially yoga and Pilates, are also highly beneficial in improving sleep quality.[21], [22] Once healthy sleep routines are in place, some natural supplements may also prove helpful. Run these by your health-care practitioner first, as they may interfere with certain health conditions or medications.

Natural Supplements Can Also Help

Supplementing melatonin can help shorten the time it takes to fall asleep and support the aging body.[23], [24] Magnesium has the benefit of significantly increasing deep sleep.[25] Studies have shown that the herb valerian halved the time it took for people to fall asleep, and in general people reported a sounder sleep taking it.[26] ʟ‑Theanine also helps people to fall asleep more quickly.[27]

GABA may have an effect on reducing stress, thus allowing the brain to wind down and reduce fatigue.[28] In mice, combining ʟ‑theanine and GABA decreases the time it takes to fall asleep as well as increasing both deep sleep and dreaming sleep.[29]

Conclusion

While the sleep quality I experienced once upon a time may never return, I take comfort in the fact that poor sleep does not have to be an inevitable part of my growing older—or yours. Tracking and understanding my sleep have been invaluable in helping me to figure out what I need to do to fix my sleep as I enter my senior years. Perhaps it can help you too.

Wendy Presant, RHNC, CFMP

With a background in nursing, naturopathic, and functional medicine, Wendy Presant is currently registered as a health-and-nutrition counsellor. She provides virtual coaching services to individuals looking to optimize their health.

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