This Sleep Stage Is Oh-So-Crucial: 4 Tips To Help You Get Into It

According to Darley, figuring out whether you “got enough” deep sleep can be challenging without an official sleep study (at a clinic) or the help of high-quality sleep tracking technology.

However, Kinnunen adds, one way to tell if you’re getting enough deep sleep is to check in with how you feel. “As you get to know your body, you’ll learn what amount of deep sleep helps you feel your best,” he says, adding, “Getting enough deep sleep helps you awaken alert and ready to face the day.”

But as Darley adds, the other sleep stages are at play here, too. “Each of the different stages does a part in making that energized feeling,” she explains, “so we think of it more in terms of total sleep.”

The best thing you can do to support deep sleep—and sleep more generally—is set aside plenty of time for it (7.5 to 9 hours) and stay on top of your sleep hygiene routine. These tips should help.