Why is Deep Sleep So Important?
We all intrinsically know that sleep is important. The impact of not sleeping is clearly visible any time we travel between time zones and deal with jet lag or if we are sleep disturbed due to a newborn.
But how impactful is a lack of deep sleep on our mental and physical health?
To understand any possible impact, we need to explore how brain waves, specifically delta brain waves, work and their relevance to a deep, restorative, and restful sleep.
What are Delta Brainwaves?
Each of our brain states corresponds with a different state of awareness.
Each brain wave type has a separate function, and impacts/controls / manages a specific outcome for our state of mind and level of consciousness.
- Alpha wave = Relaxed, Lucid, Calm and not thinking
- Theta wave = Deep relaxation, Mediation, Mental Imagery
- Beta waves = Awake, Alert, Consciousness – used during alert mental activity
- Delta wave = Deep, Dreamless State
Many things in life work in cycles; summer follows spring, winter follows autumn, and each season has its own purpose. The same is true of brain waves,
If we were to compare brain waves to seasons, delta waves would be a bit like winter when everything slows down and becomes quieter. However, underneath the stillness, new life and energy stirs, getting ready for a burst of growth in spring.
Delta waves are the slowest of all of the brainwave frequencies. They are the most dominant frequency range and are seen most often during times of deepest levels of relaxation, restorative, healing sleep – sleep stages 3 and 4. These sleep stages are when essential hormones are released, resulting in the repair of our muscles, nerves, and internal organs.
How Do I know If I’m ‘reaching’ a Deep Delta Sleep State?
Have you ever slept for seven or eight hours and woken up still feeling grumpy, unrested, and sleepy? If so, you probably did not spend enough time in a delta state while sleeping.
Have you ever been woken up abruptly and found it hard to wake up fully? Were you left in a state of intense sleepiness that took a while to shift from? In this case, you were probably in a delta wave state of mind when you were disturbed. Alternatively, suppose you have gotten out of bed in the morning feeling deeply refreshed and full of boundless enthusiasm for the day ahead. In that case, you have undoubtedly experienced a whole heap load of refreshing, dreamless delta sleep.
There are, however, other ways to experience delta waves. Skilled meditation practitioners can access delta wave states when in the most in-depth levels of meditation. When delta brain states are present, awareness of the external world halts, and we find ourselves suspended in the deepest levels of our subconscious mind.
Delta Wave Facts
- Delta waves are the dominant waves in infants, whether they are awake or sleeping.
- Delta waves appear at a higher rate in people with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). This may partly explain why people with this disorder feel distracted and unable to focus.
- Women show a higher rate of delta wave activity than men; this could be explained by them having a stronger immune system response than men.
- Those following a keto diet (high-protein, low-carb) are likely to see an increase in delta waves.
- When healthy people engage in intense physical or mental focus, delta waves disappear.
- Alcohol reduces delta wave activity, which may explain why a night of excess drinking results in a bad night of sleep.
Delta Wave Facts
- Delta waves are the dominant waves in infants, whether they are awake or sleeping.
- Delta waves appear at a higher rate in people with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). This may partly explain why people with this disorder feel distracted and unable to focus.
- Women show a higher rate of delta wave activity than men; this could be explained by them having a stronger immune system response than men.
- Those following a keto diet (high-protein, low-carb) are likely to see an increase in delta waves.
- When healthy people engage in intense physical or mental focus, delta waves disappear.
- Alcohol reduces delta wave activity, which may explain why a night of excess drinking results in a bad night of sleep.
Delta Waves And Our Hormones
When delta waves dominate during sleep stages 3 and 4, our body releases several different hormones:
Each of these hormones plays a vital part in keeping us healthy.
HGH is produced in the pineal gland inside the brain. Its primary function is to heal and repair tissue all over the body. Additionally, HGH speeds up our metabolic rate, resulting in the burning of fat.
Melatonin is also released from the pineal gland. Its job is to regulate our sleep and waking cycle, or circadian rhythm. It also acts as an antioxidant.
DHEA is short for dehydroepiandrosterone. This vital hormone, which is produced by our adrenal glands, is the building block of many other chemicals, including estrogen and testosterone. Research has shown that DHEA plays an important role in the aging process. When low, signs of aging appear; conversely, when levels are higher, the aging process seems to slow down. Furthermore, lower levels of DHEA are associated with a decline in cognitive function, reduced immune response, and capacity to heal.
Not only do we see a release of ‘good’ hormones when deep sleep states are reached, but we also see the body ‘clean up’ other hormones.
Cortisol, known as the stress hormone, is released into the body when we are frightened, tense or feel under pressure. As discussed in ‘Is Your Brain Stuck‘, cortisol is the ‘fight or flight hormone which is produced when our brains are in a high beta wave range. Neuroscience studies have found a connection to the delta wave sleep cycle and a lowering of cortisol in the bloodstream. One way to counteract the damaging results of access to cortisol in the brain is by getting plenty of delta-wave sleep. During this deep sleep, levels of this chemical naturally drop to their lowest point. Without this, we start each day with already high cortisol levels, which only increase as the events of the day unfold.
Put simply, delta waves restore the balance of regenerative processes in the body. So the benefits of a good night’s sleep stretch wider than us just feeling rested each morning. Without deep delta wave sleep, our bodies and minds are left starved of essential hormones and overrun with ones that make us feel anxious.
Delta Waves, Where Are You?
It goes without saying that the best way to increase delta waves is to do whatever it takes to get to stages 3 and 4 of the sleep cycle. For most of us, this is not a problem. But for those who are living with long-term anxiety and stress problems or those with insomnia or another sleep disorder, getting a night of good restful sleep is a significant challenge.
Fortunately, DeepWave light brainwave entrainment can assist you in getting to sleep more easily.
Using light brainwave entrainment, with a focus on stimulating delta waves, can assist you in getting higher-quality levels of deep, refreshing sleep. The potential advantages include an improved sleep cycle and a greater sense of well-being and health.
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