“Quality of sleep is important. Getting the right amount of sleep is itself one of its qualities.”

Most sleep recommendations begin with a number. For adults, sleeping for at least 7 hours per night is generally recommended, with 7–9 hours being a common range. Getting enough sleep matters, but the number of hours tells us only part of the story. Two people can spend the same amount of time asleep and wake up feeling very different. One may feel restored and ready for the day, while the other wakes feeling physically drained, mentally scattered, and emotionally on edge. Sleep never quite did its job. So, what makes the difference?

One key factor in sleep quality is how well the nervous system can regulate itself and support optimal functioning.

While looking at a sleeping person, we might think that sleep is simply a period of inactivity. But nothing could be further from the reality. Sleep is an amazingly dynamic state in which the brain and body undergo different processes and move through different stages, each with its own functions.

For this to happen, the nervous system needs to be able to optimally guide the transition from wakefulness into sleep and further through the maze of changing sleep states, while supporting the processes involved in restoration. In other words, sleep quality is not determined by duration alone.

Personally, I find that around 7.5–8 hours of sleep is my sweet spot. I believe this is the amount of time I need to move through the necessary sleep cycles and wake feeling ready for the day.

There have been moments in my life when I’ve had only four or five hours of sleep, for example while traveling when a delayed flight meant staying awake much longer than expected. On those occasions, I could experience for myself what research has repeatedly shown: sleep loss affects reaction time, attention, and cognitive performance.

In other words, I had to direct much of my available energy simply toward managing the day. I can’t imagine what it would have been like to need to work a full day in that state. Luckily, these experiences happened while I was traveling for vacation.

 So, why is around 7.5–8 hours my sweet spot?

I believe it gives me enough time to move through the full sequence of sleep cycles that my body-brain system needs. You may have heard that a sleep cycle lasts about 90 minutes. But in reality, length of the cycles varies, and a typical night includes several of them with their functional architecture changing as the night progresses.

One interesting thing I’ve noticed from my own experience is that when I pay close attention to regulating my nervous system, the progression of my sleep cycles seems to become more consistent. However, I don’t see this as a formula for controlling sleep. Rather, it’s something I’ve observed over many years of paying attention to my own sleep.

On the other hand, spending close to 10 hours in bed doesn’t necessarily mean I’ve had 10 hours of great sleep.

Recently, I experienced this myself on a very hot and humid summer night when my sleep was fragmented by frequent awakenings. Although I spent a longer time in bed and did exercises to deeply relax my body and regulate my nervous system, the actual time I spent asleep was considerably shorter.

This is another reason why sleep duration alone doesn’t tell the whole story. We need enough time for sleep, but we also need that time to be filled with the dynamic processes of healthy sleep. And this highlights why it is important to learn what makes sleep exceptional, if getting enough sleep does not automatically mean getting exceptional sleep.

To answer this, over the coming weeks, we'll look at seven dimensions of exceptional sleep:

This week we’re building on the Power of the Exhale practice from last week. To get a feel for it again, let’s begin by repeating the main part of the practice. Take a moment to settle into a position that feels comfortable, safe, and peaceful.

When you are ready, return to your natural breathing and notice: has anything changed?

The core idea is to give your nervous system an alternative pattern to work with. When we are stressed, busy, and alert, our breathing can easily become faster and shallower. When this becomes a dominant pattern throughout the day, the body-brain system can begin to treat it as its new normal, preparing us to stay ready for action.

Our role is to become aware of these patterns and, when appropriate, provide different sensory information — information that tells the nervous system that it is okay to shift toward a calmer state.

One question I often hear is: How often should I practice? My answer is: as often as you can. In fact, as I’m writing this, I often take a slow, mindful breath. It’s a habit now, and it gives me a pleasant, grounded feeling while helping me maintain my focus.

Today’s Variation on the Extended Exhale Practice

Besides lengthening the exhale, we can also gently lengthen the inhale. Here, too, the aim is to explore a slower and calmer breathing rhythm. And although we first invite the lungs to expand a little more, the purpose is not to make the breath bigger or to force anything. It is simply another way of increasing awareness.

After the exercise, allow your body to find its new natural way of breathing — with greater awareness of how the breath moves and how you feel. Over time, you may notice a breathing pattern that feels something like this:

 The Exercise

Take a moment to settle into a position that feels comfortable, safe, and peaceful.

This pause isn't about holding your breath. It's about allowing your body to soften a little more into relaxation and calm. After some time, you may even begin to notice that the pause is not simply an absence of breathing, but another part of the breathing cycle worth exploring.

Repeat this breathing pattern several times.

Variation — Add Gentle Movement

Repeat the movement 5–7 times, then pause and notice how you feel. While you rest, relax your body as well as you can.

 Then close your eyes and repeat the movement another 5–7 times. Keep the movements small and comfortable, allowing your breath to guide the motion. When you're ready, return to your natural breathing and rest. Before moving on, take a moment to notice.

What has changed?

What do you feel now that you didn't notice before?

If you wish to fall asleep, simply let go and allow your body-brain system to do what it naturally does. Enjoy — there is nothing more you need to do.

If you wish to resume your activities, stand up, take a comfortable deep breath, look around, and gently shake your body. Let yourself gradually reconnect with your surroundings and the energy you need for your next activity.

One benefit of quality sleep is that it gives your brain time to fine-tune its neural connections. How this works is that while you are awake, your brain is constantly forming and strengthening connections as you learn from your experiences. During sleep, the brain then adjusts these connections, strengthening some while weakening or removing others that are no longer needed. One part of this process is known as synaptic pruning.

Think of it as your brain doing some nighttime housekeeping: keeping the connections that are useful while clearing away some of those that are unnecessary. This helps your brain become more efficient and better prepared for the experiences of the following day.

In other words, sleep is not simply about resting your brain. It is also a time when your brain can refine the neural networks built through your experiences. That's another reason to make quality sleep a daily priority.

Enough sleep gives you the time. Nervous system regulation helps you make the most of it.

Avoid falling into the “more is always better” or “any sleep is good enough” traps. Instead, let's focus on our aim here: to level up sleep — both duration and quality.

For now, start by scheduling enough time for sleep — and use the nervous-system regulation skills you've learned from previous newsletters. That's already a great place to begin.

Thanks for reading!

Until next week, wishing you restful nights and brighter days.

Oliver

Next week: The Right Amount of Sleep

New to Leveling Up Sleep?
Start from the beginning: Welcome to Leveling Up Sleep
Previous week: How Your Brain Predicts Sleep

P.S. Have a question about sleep? What's your biggest sleep challenge, or what would you like me to cover in a future issue? Simply reply to this email. There's a good chance your question will be answered in a future issue.