{"id":200,"date":"2020-01-23T11:44:00","date_gmt":"2020-01-23T11:44:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sleepdunwoody.com\/blog\/?p=200"},"modified":"2021-01-27T18:46:34","modified_gmt":"2021-01-27T18:46:34","slug":"sleep-quality-vs-sleep-quantity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sleepdunwoody.com\/blog\/2020\/01\/23\/sleep-quality-vs-sleep-quantity\/","title":{"rendered":"Challenging our Preconceptions: Sleep Quality vs. Sleep Quantity"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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When you\u2019re feeling sluggish, the first thought is often \u201cLooks like I need to go to bed early tonight.<\/em>\u201d And while more sleep is always a good thing, a study recently published by the University of Sydney<\/a> challenges the assumption that the amount of hours spent asleep is the sole determiner in how rested you feel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

The total time spent in bed is important, as it can indicate that several complete sleep cycles have taken place, but the study suggests that sleep quality <\/em>is what ultimately restores the brain. As it turns out, poor sleep quality is linked to worse functioning, regardless of how long you sleep. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, the study found that people who slept six or fewer hours functioned just as well as those who slept six to eight hours \u2013 if<\/em> their sleep was of high quality. Why is quality sleep so important, and how can you ensure that you\u2019re getting it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Does Quality Sleep Look Like?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Sleep occurs in five stages, and all five serve unique, important functions in restoring the body. They are also contingent upon each other — you can\u2019t get to the third stage without the occurrence of the two stages before it, and so on. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep is the last stage and occurs in cycles of about 90-120 minutes. It\u2019s the stage where dreaming takes place, which may help process emotions and prepare us for life\u2019s challenges<\/a>. Scientists believe that REM sleep also aids in forming new memories, restoring and balancing brain chemistry, and stimulating the central nervous system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those that suffer from sleep apnea repeatedly wake up throughout the night to catch a breath, which means that the progression of the sleep cycle is continually interrupted. And when it comes to REM sleep, it\u2019s thought that sleep apnea patients never reach it<\/a> or experience it for a very short period of time before waking up with a gasp. When that happens, the patient falls back into a lighter stage of sleep — so the full benefits of REM, dreaming and a quality night\u2019s sleep are never experienced. Chronically interrupted sleep has been linked to a multitude of health issues, including memory problems <\/a>and even long-term neurological damage<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tips for Improving Sleep Quality<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re concerned about the quality of your sleep, there are a few simple things you can do:<\/p>\n\n\n\n