How well you sleep at night directly impacts how you feel during the day. If you’re struggling to get the perfect night’s sleep, there may be a reason why.

In this blog post, we will discuss the 90 minute sleep cycle and how you can use it to your advantage for getting better sleep. Keep reading to find out. 

The 90-minute sleep cycle repeats itself several times throughout the night.

“Happiness consists of getting enough sleep. Just that, nothing more.”
ROBERT A. HEINLEIN, STARSHIP TROOPERS

What is the 90 minute sleep cycle and why is it important?

Most people are familiar with the standard eight-hour sleep duration. However, few know that there is actually a 90-minute sleep cycle that governs our sleep patterns.

This cycle is divided into four stages: light sleep, deep sleep, REM sleep, and awake.

During the light sleep stage, our body temperature decreases and our heart rate slows. Deep sleep follows, during which we are completely disconnected from the outside world. Our muscles relax and our breathing becomes regular.

The third stage, REM sleep, is when we dream. Our eyes move rapidly and our brain activity increases. Finally, we return to the awake stage, where we prepare to wake up or return to light sleep.

The 90-minute sleep cycle repeats itself several times throughout the night. Research has shown that this cycle is essential for physical and mental recovery. Therefore, it is important to get a full night’s sleep in order to allow our bodies to go through the entire cycle.

How do you follow the 90 minute sleep cycle for the best results?

A sleep calculator can help you determine the best time to wake up and go to sleep in order to follow the 90 minute sleep cycle.

First, you’ll need to input your wake up time. Then, you’ll need to count backward in blocks of 90 minutes from your wake up time. The number of blocks will determine how many hours of sleep you should aim for.

For example, if you wake up at 7am, you can sleep at 10pm (9 hrs of sleep, 6 blocks of 90 minutes) or 11.30pm (7.5 hrs of sleep, 5 blocks of 90 minutes).

Once you’ve determined your ideal sleep time, be sure to stick to a consistent sleep schedule as much as possible. This will help ensure that you’re getting the most out of your sleep and following the 90 minute sleep cycle for optimal results.

However, when your sleep schedule is inconsistent, you’ll find waking up feeling tired and restless. This often happens during travel, when our bodies have to adjust to different time zones and new environment. That also explains why you can’t sleep well during travel.

What are some of the benefits of following the 90 minute sleep cycle?

The 90 minute sleep cycle is a natural way of sleeping that can provide a number of benefits.

When we sleep, our bodies go through a series of four stages. Each stage plays an important role in the quality of your sleep, and following this cycle allows your body to fully benefit from each stage.

Light sleep helps you to refresh and prepare for the day ahead, deep sleep promotes physical recovery, REM sleep supports mental and emotional recovery, and waking up feeling rested and refreshed.

Following the 90 minute sleep cycle can help you to improve the quality of your sleep and feel your best during the day.

The bottom line

Though 90 minute sleep cycle is a great guide, you’ll need to experiment to see what works best for your body.

Once you find a schedule that allows you to wake up feeling rested and refreshed, stick with it as much as possible. Consistency is key when it comes to getting quality sleep.

It’s important to also consider your sleep hygiene. This means everything from having clean bedding, comfortable mattress to sleep music that creates an environment that promotes relaxation.

Have you experimented with different sleep schedules? What worked (or didn’t work) for you? Let us know in the comments below.