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Health

Why sleep quality is so important – and so difficult to measure

Sleeping a solid 8 hours isn't the whole story and the quality of your sleep might matter more. But what does sleep quality mean and how can we measure it?

By Sophie Bushwick

20 January 2025

×îÐÂÂé¶¹ÊÓÆµ. Science news and long reads from expert journalists, covering developments in science, technology, health and the environment on the website and the magazine.

Steven Puetzer/Getty Images

How did you sleep last night? Your response might depend on how long you were in bed, how much of that time you spent tossing and turning or whether you feel rested. But it might also depend on whether you exercised today, what your wearable device says, or when you are being asked.

This article is part of special series investigating key questions about sleep. Read more here.

“Everyone has their own definition of sleep quality – and that is the problem,” says sleep researcher at the University of Warwick, UK.

Though sleep quality and what defines it…

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