How Do You Know If You Went Into Deep Sleep?

What Is Deep Sleep, Anyway?

Deep sleep—also called slow-wave sleep or N3—is that heavy, restorative stage of sleep where your brain basically checks out. It's when your body does the real repairs: muscle recovery, immune system boost, even some memory processing.
But how do you know you were actually in it? You can’t exactly film yourself every night (though honestly, I tried once—don’t recommend, super creepy watching yourself sleep).

Signs You Actually Hit Deep Sleep

You Feel Like You Blacked Out

Honestly, that’s how it feels to me. No dreams. No tossing. Just lights out. I remember nothing between laying my head down and the alarm blaring. My friend Mike (snores like a jet engine btw) described it as “waking up from the void.” If you wake up and it feels like zero time passed, chances are you dipped into deep sleep.

You Wake Up... and You’re Not Miserable?

It sounds basic, but if you wake up not hating everything—your pillow, your alarm, the sunlight—then that’s a pretty good sign. Deep sleep leaves you less grumpy, more alert, and oddly motivated to do stuff (like actually make breakfast instead of just coffee).

I had this one night after a brutal hiking trip—slept like the dead, and woke up feeling like I could run a marathon. I didn’t. I made pancakes and watched Netflix. But still, I could’ve.

Your Body Recovered

Ever wake up and that weird pain in your neck is just... gone? Or the gym soreness you had magically vanished? That’s deep sleep doing its thing. It’s when human repair mode kicks in hard—tissue growth, hormone release, all that behind-the-scenes wizardry.

What Affects Your Deep Sleep?

Stress (The Sleep Killer)

Honestly? If my brain’s busy overthinking something stupid I said in 2016, deep sleep’s gone. Stress keeps your brain too alert. Cortisol, your stress hormone, messes with the whole process. I once stayed up three nights in a row before a product launch, and yeah—zero deep sleep. I felt like a zombie. Like, actual hallucinations.

Alcohol: Sneaky Saboteur

This one shocked me. I used to think a glass of wine knocked me out. And sure, it helps you fall asleep—but it screws up your deep sleep. You’ll wake up more during the night without even realizing it. Not worth it, honestly.

How Can You Track Deep Sleep (Without Obsessing)?

Sleep Tech (But Don’t Get Weird About It)

I use a fitness tracker sometimes. It’s not perfect (I mean, it once said I was awake while I was clearly snoring). But it gives a ballpark idea. Look for stretches of “deep” or “slow-wave” sleep in the middle of the night—usually 20-40 minutes in cycles.

But also… don’t let the data ruin your day. I’ve totally felt great after a night my tracker called “poor.” Your body isn’t a robot. Some nights are just weird.

Pay Attention to How You Feel

This sounds super basic, but your energy and focus the next day? Big indicators. If you’re able to focus on work, resist random snacking, and not snap at your barista for getting your name wrong—good signs.

Can You Get More Deep Sleep?

Yeah. Kinda.

Honestly, I used to think melatonin was the magic fix. But it mostly helps you fall asleep, not go deeper. What worked better for me?

• Going to bed and waking up around the same time (ugh, I know, boring but true)

• Keeping my room cold and dark (like a cave)

• Cutting screens 30 minutes before bed (not perfect with this one, let’s be real)

And—okay, don’t laugh—reading boring history books in bed. Something about Napoleon’s campaign in Egypt knocks me right out.

So, how do you know if you hit deep sleep? You’ll feel it. Maybe not in the middle of the night, but your body leaves clues. Energy. Mood. Recovery. And hey—if you’re not sure, just listen to your body the next day. It’s smarter than you think (even if it makes you crave nachos at midnight sometimes).

Is 165 cm normal for a 15 year old?

The predicted height for a female, based on your parents heights, is 155 to 165cm. Most 15 year old girls are nearly done growing. I was too. It's a very normal height for a girl.

Is 160 cm too tall for a 12 year old?

How Tall Should a 12 Year Old Be? We can only speak to national average heights here in North America, whereby, a 12 year old girl would be between 137 cm to 162 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/3 feet). A 12 year old boy should be between 137 cm to 160 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/4 feet).

How tall is a average 15 year old?

Average Height to Weight for Teenage Boys - 13 to 20 Years

How to get taller at 18?

Staying physically active is even more essential from childhood to grow and improve overall health. But taking it up even in adulthood can help you add a few inches to your height. Strength-building exercises, yoga, jumping rope, and biking all can help to increase your flexibility and grow a few inches taller.

Is 5.7 a good height for a 15 year old boy?

Generally speaking, the average height for 15 year olds girls is 62.9 inches (or 159.7 cm). On the other hand, teen boys at the age of 15 have a much higher average height, which is 67.0 inches (or 170.1 cm).

Can you grow between 16 and 18?

Most girls stop growing taller by age 14 or 15. However, after their early teenage growth spurt, boys continue gaining height at a gradual pace until around 18. Note that some kids will stop growing earlier and others may keep growing a year or two more.

Can you grow 1 cm after 17?

Even with a healthy diet, most people's height won't increase after age 18 to 20. The graph below shows the rate of growth from birth to age 20. As you can see, the growth lines fall to zero between ages 18 and 20 ( 7 , 8 ). The reason why your height stops increasing is your bones, specifically your growth plates.