Light Sleeper: What It Means and What to Do About It

Are You a Light Sleeper? ... It's common to refer to people who can sleep through noise and other disruptions as heavy sleepers. Those who are ... HealthConditionsFeaturedBreastCancerIBDMigraineMultipleSclerosis(MS)RheumatoidArthritisType2DiabetesSponsoredTopicsArticlesAcidRefluxADHDAllergiesAlzheimer's&DementiaBipolarDisorderCancerCrohn'sDiseaseChronicPainCold&FluCOPDDepressionFibromyalgiaHeartDiseaseHighCholesterolHIVHypertensionIPFOsteoarthritisPsoriasisSkinDisordersandCareSTDsDiscoverWellnessTopicsNutritionFitnessSexualHealthMen'sHealthWomen'sHealthMentalHealthSleepOriginalSeriesFreshFoodFastDiagnosisDiariesYou’reNotAlonePresentTenseVideoSeriesYouthinFocusCrackingtheSleepCodeNoMoreSilenceFutureofHealthPlanHealthChallengesMindfulEatingSugarSavvyMoveYourBodyGutHealthMoodFoodsAlignYourSpineFindCarePrimaryCareMentalHealthOB-GYNDermatologistsNeurologistsCardiologistsOrthopedistsLifestyleQuizzesWeightManagementAmIDepressed?AQuizforTeensAreYouaWorkaholic?HowWellDoYouSleep?Tools&ResourcesHealthNewsFindaDietFindHealthySnacksDrugsA-ZHealthA-ZConnectFindYourBezzyCommunityBreastCancerInflammatoryBowelDiseasePsoriaticArthritisMigraineMultipleSclerosisPsoriasisFollowusonsocialmediaShopProductsbyConditionInsomniaStressReliefBackPainNeckPainSleepApneaHotSleepersAllergiesPainReliefProductReviewsVitamins&SupplementsSleepMentalHealthNutritionAt-HomeTestingCBDMen’sHealthWomen’sHealthHealthConditionsDiscoverPlanConnectShopSubscribeSkinSelfCareTipsNutritionSkinCareGuideDrySkinRemediesAcne101EczemaTypesPsoriasisBasicsAreYouaLightSleeper?MedicallyreviewedbyDeborahWeatherspoon,Ph.D.,MSN—WrittenbyScottFrothinghamonApril9,2019SleepstagesSleepspindlesPropersleepGoodsleephabitsTakeawayIt’scommontorefertopeoplewhocansleepthroughnoiseandotherdisruptionsasheavysleepers.Thosewhoaremorelikelytowakeupareoftencalledlightsleepers.Researchershaven’tdefinitivelypinneddownwhypeopleresponddifferentlytopossibledisturbanceswhilesleeping,butprobablecausesmightinclude:undiagnosedsleepdisorderslifestylechoicesgeneticssleepingbrainwaveactivityResearchersdoagreethatthequalityandquantityofsleepisimportanttoyourhealth.Sleepaffectsalmosteverysysteminyourbody,fromyourmetabolismtoimmunefunction.LightsleepanddeepsleepstagesWhensleeping,youalternatebetweentwobasictypesofsleep,rapideyemovement(REM)andnon-REMsleep.REMsleepTypically,REMsleeptakesplaceabout90minutesafteryoufallasleep.Thisstageiswhenmostofyourdreamshappen.DuringREMsleepyour:eyesmoverapidlyfromsidetosidebreathingisfastandirregularheartrateincreasesbloodpressureincreasesNon-REMsleepThedifferencebetweenalightsleeperandaheavysleepermightbetheamountoftimeeachspendsinthedeepsleepstageoftheirsleepcycle.Here’sabreakdownofthenon-REMstages:Stage1.Asyougofromawaketosleeping,yourbreathingslowsaswellasyourheartbeat,eyemovement,andbrainwaveactivity.Yourmusclesbegintorelax.Stage2.Yourbreathing,heartbeat,andbrainwaveactivitycontinuetoslow.Eyemovementsstop.Yourmusclesrelaxmore.Stage3.You’renowindeep,restorativesleep.Everythingslowsfurther.SleepspindlesAsmall2010studyfoundit’spossibletopredictaperson’sabilitytostayasleepduringnoisebymeasuringsleepspindlesonanEEGtest.Sleepspindlesareatypeofbrainwave.Researchersbelievetheymaybeabletodilutetheeffectsofnoiseinthebrain.Thestudyfoundpeoplewhoareabletogeneratemoresleepspindlescansleepthroughnoisebetterthanpeoplewhocan’t.Thesefindingssetthestageforstudiesfocusedonincreasingspindleproductionsopeoplecanstayasleepthroughnoisyinterruptions.Whatisagoodnight’ssleep?Gettingenoughsleepiscrucialforkeepingyourbodyandmindhealthy.Sleepneedsvaryaccordingtoage.TheU.S.DepartmentofHealthandHumanServicesrecommendsthefollowingsleepguidelines:Adultsneed7to8hours.Teensneed8to10hours.School-agedchildrenneed9to12hours.Preschoolersneed10to13hours(includingnaps).Toddlersneed11to14hours(includingnaps).Babiesneed12to16hours(includingnaps).Howtogetagoodnight’ssleepAgoodnight’ssleepcanbedescribedas:fallingasleepeasilynotfullyawakeningduringthenightwakingupwhenexpected(notearlier)feelingrefreshedinthemorningIfyou’realightsleeper,therearesomehabitsyoucandeveloptoensurethebestpossiblesleepeverynight.Trythefollowing:Followaschedule.Trygoingtosleepandgettingupatthesametimeeveryday,includingyourdaysofffromwork.Developaconsistentbedtimeroutine.Takeawarmbathorreadabook.Makeyourbedroomrelaxing,quiet,anddark.Keepallscreens,includingtelevisions,computers,andcellphones,outofthebedroom.Keepyourbedroomcool.Avoidlateafternoonoreveningnaps.Exerciseatregulartimeseverydayandmakesuretostopatleastthreehoursbeforebedtime.Avoidcaffeinelateintheday,includingcaffeinefoundinfoodslikechocolate.Avoideatinglargemealsclosetobedtime.Avoiddrinkingalcoholicbeveragesclosetobedtime.Iftroublesleepinghasyoufeelingtiredandaffectsyourabilitytodoyourdailyactivitiesformorethanafewweeks,talktoyourdoctor.Theymayhavesomesuggestionsongettingabetternight’ssleep.Yourdoctormightalsorecommendtestingforapotentialsleepdisorder.Formoresleepsupport,checkoutoursleepshop.TakeawayIfyouconsideryourselfalightsleeperandit’sinterferingwithyourabilitytogetagood,refreshingnight’ssleep,therearesomelifestylechangesyoucanmaketoencouragebettersleephabits.Ifpoorsleepisinterferingwithyourdailyactivities,consideravisitwithyourdoctor.Theymayhavethoughtsonhowyoucanimproveyoursleep,ortheymightsuggesttestingforapossiblesleepdisorder.LastmedicallyreviewedonApril9,20195sourcescollapsedHealthlinehasstrictsourcingguidelinesandreliesonpeer-reviewedstudies,academicresearchinstitutions,andmedicalassociations.Weavoidusingtertiaryreferences.Youcanlearnmoreabouthowweensureourcontentisaccurateandcurrentbyreadingoureditorialpolicy.Brainbasics:Understandingsleep.(2019).ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Understanding-SleepDang-VuTT,etal.(2010).Spontaneousbrainrhythmspredictsleepstabilityinthefaceofnoise.DOI:10.1016/j.cub.2010.06.032Getenoughsleep.(2018).healthfinder.gov/healthtopics/category/everyday-healthy-living/mental-health-and-relationship/get-enough-sleepAgoodnight'ssleep.(2016).nia.nih.gov/health/good-nights-sleepWhatis“normal”sleep?(2016).ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279322/FEEDBACK:MedicallyreviewedbyDeborahWeatherspoon,Ph.D.,MSN—WrittenbyScottFrothinghamonApril9,2019ReadthisnextIsWakingUpintheMiddleoftheNightMakingYouTired?MedicallyreviewedbyDebraSullivan,Ph.D.,MSN,R.N.,CNE,COIAreyoutiredalldaybecauseyouarewakingupinthemiddleofthenight?Explorethereasonswhyyoumaybewakingatnightandwhatyoucandonow…READMOREWhatYouShouldKnowAboutDifficultySleepingMedicallyreviewedbyStacySampson,D.O.Sleepingdifficultyiswhenyouhavetroublesleepingatnight.Learnwhatcausessleepissuesandhowtheymaybetreated.READMOREIsSleepingwiththeLightsOnGoodorBadforYou?MedicallyreviewedbyDeborahWeatherspoon,Ph.D.,MSNSleepqualityisdependentonadark,quietspace.Sleepdeprivationcanquicklybecomeadangerousslopetobadhealththatgoesbeyondsimplybeing…READMOREHowManyHoursofSleepDoYouReallyNeed?WrittenbyTaylorJones,RDSleepisabsolutelycrucialforyourphysicalandmentalhealth.Thisarticleexplainswhysleepissoimportantandhowmuchyoushouldgetpernight.READMOREShortSleeperSyndromeMedicallyreviewedbyJudithMarcin,M.D.READMOREManyMenPrioritizePlayingVideoGames,DrinkingOverGoodSleepAnewsurveyfindsthatamajorityofmensaytheyoftensacrificeagoodnight’ssleeptospendmoretimeplayingvideogamesanddrinkingalcohol.READMORETheBestWeightedBlankets,AccordingtoReviewsMedicallyreviewedbyAmyElizabethWolkin,PT,DPT,MBAWeightedblanketscanbebeneficialforsleepdisorders,anxiety,andrestlesslegsyndrome.Butwhatsizeblanketshouldyoubuytomaximizeits…READMOREEffectsofInsomniaontheBodyMedicallyreviewedbyKevinMartinez,M.D.Insomniacanaffectyourhealthinmanyways.Learnabouttheseeffectsandthebestwaystotreatyourinsomnia.READMOREIsItSafetoTakeanAntihistamineforSleepEveryNight?Whileantihistaminesandotherover-the-countersleepaidscontainingredientsthatmakeyoudrowsy,theymaynotbethebestsolution.READMORE