You probably already know that if you don’t get enough sleep the night before, you’ll feel drained the following day. but what if you got the advised quantity of shut-eye and you’re still wiped out when you get up? When a person gets the recommended amount of sleep (usually 7 to 9 hours) yet still feels exhausted upon waking, they have undergone non-restorative sleep.

What makes restorative sleep different from other forms of sleep?

Restorative sleep is characterised by deep periods of regenerative slumber that leave the sleeper feeling renewed. Numerous stages of the sleep cycle must be accomplished for one to have a restful night’s sleep. You need to enter a deep sleep stage or rapid eye movement (REM) sleep if you wish to sleep through the night without waking up.

When a person gets the recommended amount of sleep yet still feels weary upon waking, they have experienced non-restorative sleep.

There may be a change in your sleep requirements as you age. Various factors determine the ideal amount of sleep for an adult, but generally speaking it’s between seven and nine hours. In spite of your lengthy slumber, you may still feel drained of energy. This might be a sign that your sleep is not restoring you.

When exactly throughout the sleep cycle does rejuvenation peak?

Sleep experts agree that stages three and four of non-REM sleep, in addition to the REM period, are the most restorative. Rapid Eye Movement (REM), Non-REM (N1, N2, and N3), and Stage 3 (S3) are the four stages that make up the whole of sleep. But if you don’t get enough deep sleep (REM and NREM), you may not feel quite as revitalised in the morning.

Alerts that your night of sleep was less than comfortable

If you wake up feeling tired every day, even if you obtained the appropriate amount of sleep, it’s safe to assume that your sleep wasn’t particularly restorative.

Why do some people have better sleep quality than others?

It is likely that both the circumstances of one’s lifestyle and any underlying illnesses contribute to sleep patterns that do not refresh the body. Depression and bipolar disorder are only two of the illnesses that may be symptomatic of disturbed sleep patterns. Restlessness when sleeping is a common complaint among depressed individuals. Bipolar disorder, a psychiatric illness, may cause insomnia in its patients. Therapy focused on helping patients with bipolar illness or severe depression develop more consistent sleeping habits may be very helpful.

How can doctors determine whether a patient is getting unhealthy amounts of sleep?

In order to make a diagnosis of non-restorative sleep, your doctor will need to conduct a thorough evaluation of your lifestyle and medical history. Using this procedure, your doctor can determine whether or not your lifestyle choices are to blame for your insomnia. They will rule out other potential explanations of your sleep issues before agreeing on a diagnosis, such as underlying health conditions that are making it difficult for you to fall or remain asleep.