Light sleep

What is important to know

During a normal night's sleep, a person goes through different stages several times - from more shallow sleep to deep sleep. Brief awakenings between cycles may also occur and are not always remembered in the morning.

The problem becomes when sleep regularly feels insufficiently restorative, is often interrupted, or is accompanied by severe fatigue and drowsiness during the day.

Shallow sleep can be associated with stress, anxiety, depression, chronic pain, sleep-disordered breathing, alcohol or certain substance use, medications, and environmental sleep conditions.

How does shallow sleep manifest itself?

A person may notice:

the feeling that most of the night “barely slept”;

waking up from slight noise or movement;

many short awakenings;

restless sleep and frequent changes in body position;

feeling of increased alertness even at night;

vivid dreams and a feeling that sleep was not deep;

lack of feeling of recovery in the morning;

daytime fatigue, drowsiness or irritability;

difficulty concentrating after sleep.

However, the subjective feeling of light sleep does not always accurately reflect the amount of deep sleep. For assessment, the regularity of the problem and its impact on the daily state are more important.

Possible reasons

The feeling of shallow sleep can occur when:

severe or chronic stress;

anxiety and constant internal tension;

depressive states;

frequent night awakenings;

chronic pain;

snoring and breathing disorders during sleep;

restless legs syndrome;

irregular sleep patterns;

noise, light, uncomfortable temperature or other external factors;

consumption of alcohol, caffeine, nicotine or other substances;

taking certain medications.

Sometimes several factors are present at the same time.

What to pay attention to

How long ago did sleep begin to feel shallow and does this happen almost every night?

Do you have frequent or prolonged awakenings at night?

Do you feel restored in the morning?

Is there daytime fatigue, drowsiness, irritability or decreased concentration?

Do anxious thoughts or internal tension arise before sleep and at night?

Is there loud snoring, a feeling of lack of air, or breathing stoppages noticed by others?

Do you experience discomfort in your legs, pain, heartburn or other physical symptoms?

Have your mood, interest in usual activities, or energy levels changed?

Whether sleep changes began after a new medication was prescribed or its dosage was changed.

Whether alcohol, caffeine, nicotine or other substances are consumed in the evening.

What can help

It is helpful to maintain a stable sleep and wake-up schedule, create a dark, quiet and comfortable sleep environment, and reduce the number of factors that can lead to awakenings.

It is worth paying attention to caffeine and other stimulants in the afternoon, as well as alcohol. Although alcohol sometimes makes it easier to fall asleep, it can make sleep more fragmented in the second half of the night.

If a person constantly monitors the quality of their sleep and tries to determine in the morning how “deep” they slept, this sometimes increases anxiety around sleep. It is better to focus not on a single night, but on the overall dynamics and daytime well-being.

For persistent sleep disturbances, cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is an effective non-pharmacological approach.

When to ask for help

Contact your doctor if shallow or unrefreshing sleep persists for several weeks, is regularly disrupted, or results in severe daytime fatigue, drowsiness, or decreased performance.

Medical evaluation is especially important if sleep is accompanied by loud snoring, pauses in breathing, a feeling of suffocation, significant movements during sleep, chronic pain, or other physical symptoms.

If sleep disturbances are combined with persistent anxiety, depressed mood, loss of interest, or other significant changes in mental status, it is worth contacting a mental health professional.