We sleep in phases. Some phases are light, while others are deep sleep.
Among these phases, in simple terms, core sleep is the first 5 hours of deep, undisturbed sleep at night in which the body performs all repairing functions like regulating hormones, unification of thoughts and memories, emotional adjustment, tissue repair, and others. It is the most relaxing and rejuvenating sleep every human needs every 24 hours.
In short, it improves health conditions overall that can not be done by anything else.
Understanding Core Sleep
To understand the “core sleep,” you must comprehend the sleep stages and cycles.
Typically, there are several stages of sleep, and they collectively create a sleep cycle. The two main types of sleep are non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep.
The 4 Main Stages of Sleep are:
- NERM or (N1): It is a light sleep, which is just 5% (1 to 5 minutes) of the entire time. Heartbeat, eye movements, brain waves, and breathing slow down, and your body ready itself for a deep sleep.
- NERM or (N2): It is also a light sleep phase but deeper than the first phase. It lasts about 25 minutes. And it makes up almost 45% of sleep time. At this stage, muscles relax, and body temperature and breathing slow down.
- NERM or (N3): It spans 20-40 minutes, which makes up 25% of the sleeping time. It is the deepest stage of sleep in which the body rejuvenates. It is not easy to wake up anyone at this stage. However, if someone suddenly wakes up from N3, he might face mental fogginess or sleep inertia for some moments. As we get older, we tend to sleep less in N3 and more in N2.
- REM: REM or Rapid Eye Movement stage is where you dream vividly. At this stage, your brain essentially paralyzes the muscles, so you start acting on your dreams. Moreover, breathing slows down or even stops for some moments. And as the name shows, your eyes move in different directions.
The two stages, N2 and N3, are the most important in getting a full night’s restful sleep. In core sleep, everyone goes through cycles of these stages in a single night.
How To Get Core Sleep Or Deep Sleep Every Day? Evidence-Backed Tips
If you are still struggling to sleep even after listening to water-splashing sounds and healthy eating, try these tips instead.
Avoid anxiety and stress-inducing events
Sometimes, anxiety slowly creeps into your body, and you do not even know about it. So, it is necessary to check whether you are feeling stressed, overwhelmed, or anxious. Try meditation or yoga or some mindfulness art activities to release the tension, and you will get a full night’s relaxing sleep.
Avoid excessive caffeine intake
According to the FDA, only 400 milligrams of caffeine is safe to drink. That makes up almost 4-5 cups, and that’s a lot already. So, ensure that you avoid drinking coffee more than that. Otherwise, it will affect your sleep patterns. It blocks a sleep-causing chemical adenosine and promotes sleep deprivation. Even if you are taking coffee, drink it during the day. Even taking it before 6 hours of bedtime can cause sleep issues.
Make your room peaceful and quiet
Everything you put in your bedroom affects your sleep. From wall colors to room decor, cleanliness, and lighting. So, experts always suggest choosing warm and soothing tones in the bedroom design. Plus, maintain the temperature to 65°F (18°C) for a relaxed sleep. Use blackout curtains and avoid using screens as it disrupts sleep patterns.
Exercise everyday
In addition to keeping you physically fit, exercise promotes restful sleep at night. Plus, it also prolongs the sleeping hours. According to NIH, adults who exercise at least half an hour sleep 15 minutes more than the ones who don’t exercise.
Just before going to bed, you can try light breathing exercises, aerobics, yoga, strength training, or simple walking. It will make your mornings easier.
Conclusion
Your query, “What is core sleep?” has a straightforward answer: It is an undisturbed 5-hour sleep at night that helps the body regain its energy, repair tissues, and regulate emotions. Deep sleep is comprises of the third and fourth stages of sleep (out of the four phases). For a relaxing core sleep, try cleaning your room, working out, consuming less alcohol and caffeine, and other strategies.
