Slow-wave sleep usually lasts between 70 and 90 minutes, taking place during the first hours of the night.[3] SWS is characterised by moderate muscle tone, slow or absent eye movement, and lack of genital activity. Slow-wave sleep is considered important for memory consolidation, declarative memory, and the recovery of the brain from daily activities.
Prior to 2007, the term SWS referred to both the third and fourth stages of NREM. However, after both stages were combined into stage three, SWS refers only to the third stage.[4]: 291
^Rechtschaffen A, Kales A (1968). A Manual of Standardized Terminology, Techniques and Scoring System for Sleep Stages of Human Subjects. US Dept of Health, Education, and Welfare; National Institutes of Health.