Adults

What is REM Sleep and Do You Need It?

March 26, 2021

Even though we sleep about a third of our lives, we still don’t know everything about the mind and sleep processes. Thankfully, experts have determined the cycles (or stages) of sleep and their importance in health and wellness. One of those stages of sleep is called REM sleep.

REM stands for rapid eye movement, and in this cycle of sleep, the brain is extremely active. Most of your dreaming happens during this time, and your brain works on consolidating memories. REM is an important part of sleep, and knowing the stages of sleep can help you maintain a healthy and quality sleep schedule.

Along with the lack of information, there are also a lot of misconceptions related to sleep. Many believe that REM sleep is your deepest, most important part of sleeping. This is untrue!

The REM stage is one of four phases of your nightly sleep. Each of these stages serves a purpose. Stage 1 through 3 are considered “non REM” or NREM.

You’ll go through the stages a few times throughout your night’s sleep.

Stage One / NREM 1

This stage lasts up to 5 minutes and is the phase of dozing off. The body and brain processes start to slow, and it’s still easy to wake someone out of sleep during this stage.

Stage Two / NREM 2

In stage two, the body will prepare further for sleep with a drop in temperature, relaxing muscles, and slowing breathing and heart rate. This is when eye movement will stop, and brain waves will change. Studies show only short bursts of activity in the brain during stage two. This stage lasts for 10-25 minutes, and a person will spend about half their sleep time in this sleep stage.

Stage Three / NREM

This stage is also known as deep sleep. At this stage, it will be harder to wake a person. The body continues to relax and go into a deep sleep. Brain activity is made up of delta waves, therefore the third stage is also called delta sleep.

Experts believe this stage is important for restorative sleep improving immune processes, and studies also show links between stage 3 and insightful thinking, creativity, and memory! Your deep sleep stage will happen most often at the beginning of the night, lasting up to 40 minutes. As the night goes on, you’ll be in REM more often.

Stage Four / REM

The REM sleep cycle is where the brain activity will increase, almost as much as it is when you’re awake. During this time the body will be temporarily paralyzed, except for the eyes and breathing muscles.

Of course, REM stands for rapid eye movement because your eyes are moving back and forth, It’s visible even when your eyes are closed. Experts consider REM essential for cognitive function including memory, learning, and creativity. REM is also known for vivid, frequent dreaming.

Usually, you will only enter REM after about 90 minutes of sleep, with the stage growing as the night goes on.

REM sleep is a major stage in the sleep cycle where your body will do everything and nothing all at once! Meaning, the brain is working hard but the body is temporarily paralyzed. This is to avoid acting out dreams.

The only muscles that stay in-tact during REM are the diaphragm and eye muscles. REM sleep originates in the pons, which is the part of the brain responsible for sending signals to the body.

During REM, your body will experience:

Rapid eye movement
Fast and irregular breathing
Increased heart rate and blood pressure
Changes in body temperature
Increased oxygen consumption by the brain

REM is a resting but rejuvenating body process.

Your sleep matters. Not only is an overall healthy sleep routine important, a lack of REM sleep has been linked to reduced coping skills, migraines, weight gain, and more.

To get getter REM sleep, you can do a few things:

Establish a bedtime routine
Focus on quality sleep, meaning fewer wake-ups throughout the night
Sleep enough hours
Avoid alcohol before bed
Address sleep concerns with a doctor

To improve your REM sleep, you’ll want to look at your overall sleep. When making tweaks to your routine and analyzing your sleep quality, you will see improvement in every stage. Learn the psychology of sleep and the importance of prioritizing sleep as a whole!

Instead of nitpicking the type of sleep you’re getting, start by analyzing your sleep in general. Sleep affects your physical and mental health, and quality sleep makes a world of difference. Make time for your sleep and wake routines, and include it in your wellness journey. By caring about your sleep as a whole, your REM sleep will improve along with it all.