Most likely, you’re not getting as much sleep as you think.
You wake up at 6am, go to bed at 10pm, and you feel tired after 8 hours of sleep.
Problem is, you may not have slept all of that time. It is possible that you slept only 5-6 hours out of the 8 hours.
Many people experience this, mostly due to insomnia. You may go to sleep early, but you fall asleep within a few hours.
If this is the case, then you need to listen to sleep experts.Low sleep efficiencyIt is also affecting your quality of sleep.
What Is Sleep Efficiency?
Your sleep efficiency score directly correlates with your sleep quality
Sleep efficiency refers to the amount of time you actually sleep when you’re in bed. It can also be described as the ratio between the amount of time you sleep and the total time that you spend in bed.
Let’s say that you went to sleep at 10pm, and woke up at 6am. This is 8 hours spent in bed.
Maybe you scrolled on your phone for an entire hour while lying down and then tried to get to sleep the next hour.
Experts in sleep recommend that 85% is the ideal level of sleep efficiency.
You are a good sleeper if you achieve a 90% efficiency or higher. This means that you can fall asleep in a matter of minutes and stay asleep throughout the night.
You should have been awake for 48 minutes of your 8 hour bedtime if you scored 90% efficiency.
You will feel more relaxed and rejuvenated than someone who has a 70% efficiency score (24 mins awake, 8 hours in bed)
What makes sleep efficiency so important?
Because it directly affects your sleep quality.
If you have a high score, it means that you are getting good sleep. Low scores indicate that you need to improve your sleep quality.
This is usually an indication of sleep disorders or insomnia.
How To Measure Your Sleep Efficiency
In a sleep study, doctors often measure sleep efficiency.
Your doctor might refer you to a specialist if you have a sleeping disorder. The sleep specialist will then watch you for a few nights in what is known as a sleep study.
To diagnose you, they will measure your sleep efficiency.
They can measure and precisely monitor your sleep, as well as wake periods (while you are still in bed). They can then calculate your sleep efficiency.
You can also measure your sleep efficiency at home. Although it won’t be as exact, it will give you an idea of how well your sleep quality is.
A sleep tracker is the best way to achieve this. You can use a tracker app to monitor your sleep or a fitness tracker.
These trackers determine how much time you spend restless in bed, and how long you sleep.
While some will give you the score, others will not. You’ll need to do the calculations yourself using the provided sleep metrics.
You can also use the following formula to calculate the time you spend asleep: divide the total time you were in bed by the time you spent sleeping, and multiply that number by 100.
You can track your sleep efficiency score over several week to see how it changes with respect to stress levels, sleep routines and other factors.
How To Improve Your Sleep Efficiency
- Before you go to bed, turn off all electronic devices for an hour. These gadgets emit blue light that interferes with your brain’s ability for you to fall asleep. It’s not about the light, the emotions you experience while browsing social media and news sites can also keep you awake longer.
- Make sure you optimize your sleeping environment. You should ensure that your bedroom is dark, cool, and quiet.
To help you fall asleep faster, you can also listen to the sounds of sleep.
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