Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsREM Sleep PhaseDreams in REM SleepREM Sleep DysfunctionsEncouraging REM Sleep
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
REM Sleep Phase
Dreams in REM Sleep
REM Sleep Dysfunctions
Encouraging REM Sleep
Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep is also called dream sleep. It is the finalstage of sleep, the phase after deep sleep, and should account for about 25% of total sleep time.However, not everyone spends enough time in this sleep phase. Skipping the REM sleep phase can mean that sleep is disturbed before the sleep cycle is completed, leading to other health concerns.This article will explore REM sleep, what happens during this phase, concerns about REM sleep, and more.gorodenkoff / Getty ImagesREM Sleep: The Last PhaseREM sleep is a phase of the sleep cycle that includes the most vivid dreams. Though it is sometimes confused with thedeep sleep phase, it is the phase that comes after deep sleep.Ideally, the end of the REM phase transitions into the next sleep cycle, or it transitions into waking up when all sleep cycles have been completed. This is an important phase that is essential for various areas of health and life, including learning andmemory function.What’s Happening PhysicallyREM sleep is dream sleep. It is called rapid eye movement sleep because the eyes move quickly during this phase even though the eyelids are closed. The body isparalyzedduring REM sleep so that events happening within dreams do not lead to movements and potential injuries.Though the body typically does not move while dreaming, there may be muscle twitches. Breathing can fluctuate, and heart rates can increase. This phase can also physically affect waking time because it plays a role in motor skill learning.BenefitsDream sleepserves multiple crucial roles. For example, it helps withemotional regulation.REM sleep is necessary for:Emotional processingHealthy brain developmentOptimal physical health and energyProcessing memoriesStoring information learned while awakeStrong mental healthThought processingWeight managementAdditionally, not getting enough REM sleep can be a sign of not getting enough total hours ofquality sleep.Time SpentThe ideal amount of time spent in REM sleep changes with age as the brain develops. For example,premature babiesneed about 80% of their total sleep time to be REM sleep, term babies need about 50%, and adults need 20% to 25% of sleep time in REM.This means that adults need 90 to 120 minutes of REM sleep per night.REM Sleep and Dreams LinkThough REM sleep is considered to be the dream sleep stage, dreams can also happen during other sleep stages.During REM sleep,dreamsare more vivid. More dreams occur during this stage, and the brain is more active. It is more similar to being awake than stage 2 sleep and stage 3 sleep.It is important to understand that not alldreamsare remembered, so waking up without any memory of dreams does not mean that there was no REM sleep. Dreams are more likely to be remembered when waking up during REM sleep.REM Sleep Dysfunction and AbnormalitiesSleep disordersmay affect REM sleep.REM Sleep DisorderREM sleep behavior disorderinvolves acting out dreams, talking, ormovingduring dream sleep. This increases the risk of injury. Because the natural paralysis that occurs during REM sleep does not occur, the body may move in response to things that are happening in the dreams.Because this happens during sleep without an awareness of real-life surroundings, including other people, there can be unintended injuries. Additionally, waking up in a location other than a bed after acting out a dream can be alarming.Though this condition can happen in children, it is more common among older adults. Treatment options include medications such as clonazepam or stopping a medication that may lead to symptoms of REM sleep behavior disorder.No REM: Skipping Sleep CycleSkipping the REM sleep stage during a sleep cycle is possible, as is getting too little REM sleep per night.Limited REM sleepcan impact physical and mental health and quality of life. For example, it can affect learning, emotions, memory, energy, and more.Possible causes of too little REM sleep include:Alcohol, caffeine, and tobaccoAnxiety, depression,Parkinson’s disease, and other medical conditionsMedications, includingsleep aidsNot keeping a regular sleep scheduleSleep disorders such asinsomnia,narcolepsy, andsleep apneaWaking up because of a noise or something elseHow to Encourage REM SleepThough REM sleep cannot be forced, there are many ways to make it more likely to happen. The first step is to identify any possible causes of too little REM sleep. It is also important to treat all underlying medical conditions, such asanxietyandinsomnia.Making the sleep environment comfortable and limiting the possibility of disruption can help.Sleep hygienetips can be a good place to start.Tips to Encourage REM SleepYou can increase the likelihood of REM sleep in these ways:Address all medical conditions, such asanxietyand insomnia.Exercise regularly, preferably earlier in the day.Go to bed at the same time every night.Limit caffeine, especially after noon.Manage stress throughout the day.Set aside time to relax before bed.Stop smoking and consuming alcohol.Talk to a medical professional about stopping medications that may interfere with sleep.SummaryREM sleep is the last phase of the sleep cycle. Though it is often confused with the deep sleep phase, it is actually the dream sleep phase. It is called rapid eye movement sleep because the body is paralyzed to prevent injury while dreaming, but the eyes move quickly behind closed eyelids.This is an essential phase of the sleep cycle. It is important for emotional processing, memory, and more. Too little REM sleep can lead to mental and physical health concerns. If you or someone you know is experiencing REM sleep challenges, seek the support of a medical professional such as a neurologist or sleep specialist.
Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep is also called dream sleep. It is the finalstage of sleep, the phase after deep sleep, and should account for about 25% of total sleep time.
However, not everyone spends enough time in this sleep phase. Skipping the REM sleep phase can mean that sleep is disturbed before the sleep cycle is completed, leading to other health concerns.
This article will explore REM sleep, what happens during this phase, concerns about REM sleep, and more.
gorodenkoff / Getty Images
REM Sleep: The Last Phase
REM sleep is a phase of the sleep cycle that includes the most vivid dreams. Though it is sometimes confused with thedeep sleep phase, it is the phase that comes after deep sleep.
Ideally, the end of the REM phase transitions into the next sleep cycle, or it transitions into waking up when all sleep cycles have been completed. This is an important phase that is essential for various areas of health and life, including learning andmemory function.
What’s Happening Physically
REM sleep is dream sleep. It is called rapid eye movement sleep because the eyes move quickly during this phase even though the eyelids are closed. The body isparalyzedduring REM sleep so that events happening within dreams do not lead to movements and potential injuries.
Though the body typically does not move while dreaming, there may be muscle twitches. Breathing can fluctuate, and heart rates can increase. This phase can also physically affect waking time because it plays a role in motor skill learning.
Benefits
Dream sleepserves multiple crucial roles. For example, it helps withemotional regulation.
REM sleep is necessary for:
Additionally, not getting enough REM sleep can be a sign of not getting enough total hours ofquality sleep.
Time Spent
The ideal amount of time spent in REM sleep changes with age as the brain develops. For example,premature babiesneed about 80% of their total sleep time to be REM sleep, term babies need about 50%, and adults need 20% to 25% of sleep time in REM.This means that adults need 90 to 120 minutes of REM sleep per night.
REM Sleep and Dreams Link
Though REM sleep is considered to be the dream sleep stage, dreams can also happen during other sleep stages.During REM sleep,dreamsare more vivid. More dreams occur during this stage, and the brain is more active. It is more similar to being awake than stage 2 sleep and stage 3 sleep.
It is important to understand that not alldreamsare remembered, so waking up without any memory of dreams does not mean that there was no REM sleep. Dreams are more likely to be remembered when waking up during REM sleep.
REM Sleep Dysfunction and Abnormalities
Sleep disordersmay affect REM sleep.
REM Sleep Disorder
REM sleep behavior disorderinvolves acting out dreams, talking, ormovingduring dream sleep. This increases the risk of injury. Because the natural paralysis that occurs during REM sleep does not occur, the body may move in response to things that are happening in the dreams.
Because this happens during sleep without an awareness of real-life surroundings, including other people, there can be unintended injuries. Additionally, waking up in a location other than a bed after acting out a dream can be alarming.
Though this condition can happen in children, it is more common among older adults. Treatment options include medications such as clonazepam or stopping a medication that may lead to symptoms of REM sleep behavior disorder.
No REM: Skipping Sleep Cycle
Skipping the REM sleep stage during a sleep cycle is possible, as is getting too little REM sleep per night.Limited REM sleepcan impact physical and mental health and quality of life. For example, it can affect learning, emotions, memory, energy, and more.
Possible causes of too little REM sleep include:
How to Encourage REM Sleep
Though REM sleep cannot be forced, there are many ways to make it more likely to happen. The first step is to identify any possible causes of too little REM sleep. It is also important to treat all underlying medical conditions, such asanxietyandinsomnia.
Making the sleep environment comfortable and limiting the possibility of disruption can help.Sleep hygienetips can be a good place to start.
Tips to Encourage REM SleepYou can increase the likelihood of REM sleep in these ways:Address all medical conditions, such asanxietyand insomnia.Exercise regularly, preferably earlier in the day.Go to bed at the same time every night.Limit caffeine, especially after noon.Manage stress throughout the day.Set aside time to relax before bed.Stop smoking and consuming alcohol.Talk to a medical professional about stopping medications that may interfere with sleep.
Tips to Encourage REM Sleep
You can increase the likelihood of REM sleep in these ways:Address all medical conditions, such asanxietyand insomnia.Exercise regularly, preferably earlier in the day.Go to bed at the same time every night.Limit caffeine, especially after noon.Manage stress throughout the day.Set aside time to relax before bed.Stop smoking and consuming alcohol.Talk to a medical professional about stopping medications that may interfere with sleep.
You can increase the likelihood of REM sleep in these ways:
Summary
REM sleep is the last phase of the sleep cycle. Though it is often confused with the deep sleep phase, it is actually the dream sleep phase. It is called rapid eye movement sleep because the body is paralyzed to prevent injury while dreaming, but the eyes move quickly behind closed eyelids.
This is an essential phase of the sleep cycle. It is important for emotional processing, memory, and more. Too little REM sleep can lead to mental and physical health concerns. If you or someone you know is experiencing REM sleep challenges, seek the support of a medical professional such as a neurologist or sleep specialist.
10 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Sleep Foundation.What is REM sleep?Peever J, Fuller PM.The biology of REM sleep.Current Biology. 2017;27(22):R1237-R1248. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2017.10.026Blumberg MS, Lesku JA, Libourel PA, et al.What is REM sleep?Current Biology. 2020;30(1):R38-R49. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2019.11.045Sleep Foundation.REM sleep: what it is and why it’s important.Olson CA, Hamilton NA, Somers VK.Percentage of REM sleep is associated with overnight change in leptin.J Sleep Res. 2016;25(4):419-25. doi:10.1111/jsr.12394Grigg-Damberger MM, Wolfe KM.Infants sleep for brain.Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. 2017;13(11):1233-1234. doi:10.5664/jcsm.6786Dal Sacco D.Dream recall frequency and psychosomatics.Acta Biomed. 2022;93(2):e2022046. doi:10.23750/abm.v93i2.11218St. Louis EK, Boeve BF.REM sleep behavior disorder: diagnosis, clinical implications, and future directions.Mayo Clinic Proceedings. 2017;92(11):1723-1736. doi:10.1016/j.mayocp.2017.09.007Howell M, Avidan AY, Foldvary-Schaefer N, et al.Management of REM sleep behavior disorder: an American Academy of Sleep Medicine clinical practice guideline.Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. 2023;19(4):759-768. doi:10.5664/jcsm.10424Sleep Foundation.5 ways to get more REM sleep.
10 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Sleep Foundation.What is REM sleep?Peever J, Fuller PM.The biology of REM sleep.Current Biology. 2017;27(22):R1237-R1248. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2017.10.026Blumberg MS, Lesku JA, Libourel PA, et al.What is REM sleep?Current Biology. 2020;30(1):R38-R49. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2019.11.045Sleep Foundation.REM sleep: what it is and why it’s important.Olson CA, Hamilton NA, Somers VK.Percentage of REM sleep is associated with overnight change in leptin.J Sleep Res. 2016;25(4):419-25. doi:10.1111/jsr.12394Grigg-Damberger MM, Wolfe KM.Infants sleep for brain.Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. 2017;13(11):1233-1234. doi:10.5664/jcsm.6786Dal Sacco D.Dream recall frequency and psychosomatics.Acta Biomed. 2022;93(2):e2022046. doi:10.23750/abm.v93i2.11218St. Louis EK, Boeve BF.REM sleep behavior disorder: diagnosis, clinical implications, and future directions.Mayo Clinic Proceedings. 2017;92(11):1723-1736. doi:10.1016/j.mayocp.2017.09.007Howell M, Avidan AY, Foldvary-Schaefer N, et al.Management of REM sleep behavior disorder: an American Academy of Sleep Medicine clinical practice guideline.Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. 2023;19(4):759-768. doi:10.5664/jcsm.10424Sleep Foundation.5 ways to get more REM sleep.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Sleep Foundation.What is REM sleep?Peever J, Fuller PM.The biology of REM sleep.Current Biology. 2017;27(22):R1237-R1248. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2017.10.026Blumberg MS, Lesku JA, Libourel PA, et al.What is REM sleep?Current Biology. 2020;30(1):R38-R49. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2019.11.045Sleep Foundation.REM sleep: what it is and why it’s important.Olson CA, Hamilton NA, Somers VK.Percentage of REM sleep is associated with overnight change in leptin.J Sleep Res. 2016;25(4):419-25. doi:10.1111/jsr.12394Grigg-Damberger MM, Wolfe KM.Infants sleep for brain.Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. 2017;13(11):1233-1234. doi:10.5664/jcsm.6786Dal Sacco D.Dream recall frequency and psychosomatics.Acta Biomed. 2022;93(2):e2022046. doi:10.23750/abm.v93i2.11218St. Louis EK, Boeve BF.REM sleep behavior disorder: diagnosis, clinical implications, and future directions.Mayo Clinic Proceedings. 2017;92(11):1723-1736. doi:10.1016/j.mayocp.2017.09.007Howell M, Avidan AY, Foldvary-Schaefer N, et al.Management of REM sleep behavior disorder: an American Academy of Sleep Medicine clinical practice guideline.Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. 2023;19(4):759-768. doi:10.5664/jcsm.10424Sleep Foundation.5 ways to get more REM sleep.
National Sleep Foundation.What is REM sleep?
Peever J, Fuller PM.The biology of REM sleep.Current Biology. 2017;27(22):R1237-R1248. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2017.10.026
Blumberg MS, Lesku JA, Libourel PA, et al.What is REM sleep?Current Biology. 2020;30(1):R38-R49. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2019.11.045
Sleep Foundation.REM sleep: what it is and why it’s important.
Olson CA, Hamilton NA, Somers VK.Percentage of REM sleep is associated with overnight change in leptin.J Sleep Res. 2016;25(4):419-25. doi:10.1111/jsr.12394
Grigg-Damberger MM, Wolfe KM.Infants sleep for brain.Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. 2017;13(11):1233-1234. doi:10.5664/jcsm.6786
Dal Sacco D.Dream recall frequency and psychosomatics.Acta Biomed. 2022;93(2):e2022046. doi:10.23750/abm.v93i2.11218
St. Louis EK, Boeve BF.REM sleep behavior disorder: diagnosis, clinical implications, and future directions.Mayo Clinic Proceedings. 2017;92(11):1723-1736. doi:10.1016/j.mayocp.2017.09.007
Howell M, Avidan AY, Foldvary-Schaefer N, et al.Management of REM sleep behavior disorder: an American Academy of Sleep Medicine clinical practice guideline.Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. 2023;19(4):759-768. doi:10.5664/jcsm.10424
Sleep Foundation.5 ways to get more REM sleep.
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