Understanding your sleep stages is fundamental to interpreting your nightly sleep quality and its impact on your recovery. This guide explains the four main phases of sleep—Awake, Core, Deep, and REM—and clarifies the role each one plays in your overall well-being.
Throughout the night, your body cycles through different phases of sleep, each serving a unique purpose for mental and physical restoration. Our analysis breaks your sleep down into four key stages:
Monitoring your sleep stages helps you move beyond just tracking sleep duration. It provides insight into the quality of your rest. By seeing how much time you spend in each stage, you can better understand why you might feel rested after one night but tired after another, even with similar sleep times.
A healthy balance of Deep and REM sleep is crucial for feeling physically recovered and mentally sharp. If you notice a consistent lack in these restorative sleep stages, it might be an indicator to adjust your daily habits, such as your evening routine or workout timing, to improve your sleep quality.
The app estimates your sleep stages by analyzing data from your wearable device. It uses metrics like your heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV), respiratory rate, and body movement. Different patterns in these vitals correspond to the distinct physiological states of each sleep stage, allowing for an accurate breakdown of your night's rest.
This article defines the four sleep stages (Awake, Core, Deep, REM) and explains their unique functions. Understanding these stages allows you to assess your sleep quality more accurately, connecting the data to your daily energy levels and overall recovery.