How to deep sleep
By Eleanor Gil Dec. 11, 2024
Often when people refer to “good sleep,” the common notion is that you must sleep for at least eight hours. However, quality is an equally crucial paradigm for satisfactory rest.
During the deepest sleep phases, brain waves slow to a steady, delta rhythm that induces cell regeneration and energy restoration. Deep sleep also occurs when cerebrospinal fluid rushes through the brain, clearing away beta-amyloid protein waste linked to cell damage, as cited by a health newsletter by Harvard University.
In order to set the stage for deep sleep, start your efforts in the morning with a simple but vital process known as “morning anchoring.” As early as possible, expose yourself to bright, natural sunlight outdoors. With this, your brain will indicate that the day has begun, resetting your circadian rhythm and making it easier to fall asleep at night. According to the Journal of Biological Rhythms, morning sunlight exposure stimulates the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that boosts attention and mood during the day, later converting to melatonin, the sleep hormone.
Next, strictly dedicate your bed as a place for sleep—avoid scrolling through social media once you lay down. With contextual conditioning, your brain connectslinks places with their purposes, and when you use your bed for non-sleep activities, it disrupts this association, making it harder to fall asleep.
Finally, contrary to common misconceptions, the blue light from phones does not inherently block melatonin, but more so the content that you consume. If the content involves emotionally charged news, social media or intense videos, it can activate the sympathetic nervous system, disrupting the transition to sleep.
Instead of convincing yourself you need a break and turning to your phone before bed, try gratitude journaling. Whether it is subconscious or conscious, stress accumulates throughout the day, and journaling helps reduce anxiety and negative thoughts that might keep you awake. By increasing mindfulness about the positives in your life through journaling, you can better organize your thoughts and feelings, calming the mind and facilitating deep sleep.
Within the first 10 minutes of waking, get natural sunlight.
Make your bed an exclusive sleep sanctuary.
Write down three things you are grateful for each night.
About the Contributors
Eleanor Gil
page editor
Eleanor Gil is a junior at Leland High and the page editor for School News and Feature School for The Charger Account. She loves to cultivate a quiet, eclectic joy derived from various interests and hobbies and above all, learning.
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