We’ve all been there – eight hours in what seems to be a good nights rest, and yet you still wake up feeling like your alarm clock personally attacked you. The culprit? Not all sleep is created equal. It’s not just about how long you sleep, but how much quality sleep you actually get.

Enter the three stars of the nightly show: REM sleep, deep sleep and core sleep.

REM sleep: Where your dreams take the stage

This is the sleep stage where your mind runs wild, weaving dreams and filing away the day’s events. Think of REM as your brain’s creative team, the dream factory – tidying up emotions, cementing memories, and sparking inspiration. Miss out on REM, and you might feel moody, forgetful, or just… off.

Deep sleep: Your body’s overnight spa

Deep sleep is when the heavy lifting happens for your body. Muscles repair, your immune system gears up, and you get that truly “out cold” feeling. It’s the stage that leaves you feeling physically restored. Without enough deep sleep, your body misses out on its nightly reset button.

Core sleep: The secret ingredient

Here’s where it gets good. Core sleep is the magical blend of REM and deep sleep—the true definition of rest. It’s not about clocking endless hours in bed or floating through light sleep, it’s about getting enough of these two essential stages to feel genuinely recharged.

Think of core sleep as the balance between body and mind:

• REM refuels your brain.
• Deep sleep repairs your body.
• Together, they make up core sleep—the real marker of a good night’s rest.