Treating Rem Sleep Deprivation: Strategies For Better Rest

Lack of REM sleep can have serious consequences for your health and quality of life. It can lead to fatigue, irritability, changes in mood and memory, and issues with cognition and problem-solving. It can also affect your cardiovascular health and increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. To treat a lack of REM sleep, it is important to first identify and address any underlying issues, such as sleep disorders, medications, or medical conditions. Here are some tips to help increase REM sleep:

- Develop and maintain a consistent sleep schedule.

- Treat any underlying sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea, with appropriate therapies.

- Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and tobacco, especially in the evening or close to bedtime.

- Adopt good sleep hygiene practices, such as exercising regularly, maintaining a cool and dark bedroom, and establishing a relaxing bedtime routine.

- Create a suitable environment for sleep by eliminating distractions like bright lights, noise, and electronic devices.

- If you are unable to sleep, get up and do something quietly in another room until you feel sleepy.

- Consult a healthcare professional or sleep expert if self-help measures are ineffective, as they can evaluate your sleeping patterns and provide guidance.

Develop a sleep schedule

Developing and maintaining a sleep schedule is crucial for improving sleep quality and ensuring you get sufficient REM sleep. Here are some tips to help you establish a healthy sleep schedule:

• Consistency is Key: Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends. Maintaining a consistent sleep schedule helps prime your body for sleep and waking, making it easier to fall asleep and wake up feeling refreshed.
• Understand Your Sleep Needs: Recognise how much sleep your body requires. On average, adults need around seven to nine hours of sleep each night. However, some individuals may require more or less sleep, so it's important to listen to your body and adjust your sleep schedule accordingly.
• Synchronise with Your Circadian Rhythm: Longer periods of REM sleep often align with the dip in body temperature that occurs in the early morning hours, which is regulated by your circadian rhythm. Respecting this natural rhythm by maintaining consistent sleep and wake times can help prevent confusion in your body's internal clock, promoting healthy REM sleep regulation.
• Avoid Irregular Sleep-Wake Times: Disrupting your body's natural balance by keeping irregular sleep-wake times can interfere with your REM sleep regulation. Aim for consistency to support your body's natural sleep-wake cycle.
• Address Sleep Disorders: If you suspect that a sleep disorder, such as insomnia or sleep apnea, is disrupting your REM sleep, seek professional help. Treating the underlying condition can help restore normal REM sleep patterns and improve your overall sleep quality.

Treat sleep disorders

If you are experiencing a lack of REM sleep due to a sleep disorder, treating the disorder can help restore normal REM sleep patterns. For example, if you have obstructive sleep apnea, studies have found that continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy can lead to REM rebound sleep, improving mood and overall sleep quality. Consult a doctor or sleep specialist to determine the best treatment plan for your specific condition.

In addition to treating any underlying sleep disorders, you can try the following strategies to improve your sleep:

• Maintain a sleep schedule: Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends. This helps regulate your body's sleep-wake cycle.
• Avoid stimulants: Caffeine and nicotine are stimulants that can interfere with sleep. Avoid consuming them later in the day, and especially close to bedtime.
• Limit alcohol intake: Alcohol can disrupt your sleep, especially REM sleep. Avoid drinking alcohol close to bedtime to improve your sleep quality.
• Establish a relaxing bedtime routine: Engage in relaxing activities before bed, such as taking a warm bath, listening to classical music, or reading.
• Exercise regularly: Aim for about 30 minutes of exercise per day, but try to finish your workout several hours before bedtime.
• Create a suitable sleep environment: Keep your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet. Avoid watching TV or working on your computer in bed, as the light from screens can disrupt your sleep.
• Get up if you can't sleep: If you find yourself lying awake in bed, get up and move to another room. Engage in a quiet activity, such as reading or listening to soothing music, until you feel sleepy again.
• Replace your pillows: Consider replacing your pillows if they are over a year old. New, comfortable pillows can improve your sleep quality.
• Limit screen time before bed: The light from electronic devices can interfere with your sleep. Avoid using gadgets and screens for at least an hour before bedtime.
• Meditate: Meditation can help calm your mind and prepare your body for sleep.

Stop taking sleep aids

Certain medications, such as antidepressants and antipsychotics, can reduce or even suppress REM sleep. They can also cause REM rebound when you stop taking them. While many people take these medications long-term, finding the benefits to be worth the drawbacks, if the lack of REM sleep is affecting your quality of life, it may be time to talk to your doctor about other options. Ask your doctor if there are other medications you can switch to, or if it is possible to lower your dosage.

It is important to note that you should not stop taking any prescribed medications without first consulting your doctor. Stopping certain medications too quickly can cause withdrawal symptoms, and in some cases, these can be dangerous or even life-threatening. Medical detox is always the safest way to stop taking sleeping pills or any other addictive drugs. Your doctor can help you taper off the medication gradually to avoid withdrawal symptoms and relapses. This process usually takes place over several weeks, and in some cases, it may take a few months.

If you are taking over-the-counter sleep aids, it is still important to taper off the medication gradually, rather than stopping cold turkey. This gives your body time to adjust to the change. Studies show that people who have mental support find it easier to stop taking sleeping pills. Cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is a recommended form of therapy that can help you improve your sleep habits and teach you coping skills.

To improve your sleep, you can also try adopting sleep hygiene habits, such as:

• Regular exercise
• Maintaining a cool, dark, and quiet bedroom environment
• Establishing a regular bedtime routine with soothing activities, such as reading or taking a warm bath
• Avoiding screens and gadgets before bed
• Leaving your bed to do something relaxing in another room if you cannot fall asleep after 20 minutes

Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and tobacco

Alcohol, caffeine, and tobacco are all stimulants that can negatively impact your sleep. Here are some reasons why it is important to avoid them to improve your REM sleep:

Alcohol

While alcohol may make you feel sleepy and help you fall asleep initially, it disrupts your sleep later in the night. Alcohol consumption is associated with more frequent awakenings, night sweats, nightmares, and headaches during the second half of the night, resulting in less restful sleep. It delays the onset of REM sleep and reduces the overall time spent in this stage. To improve your sleep quality, it is advisable to avoid alcohol for at least four hours before bedtime. Binge drinking can also affect your melatonin levels for up to a week, impacting your sleep.

Caffeine

Caffeine is a stimulant that can be found in various drinks and foods, such as tea, coffee, chocolate, and cola. It can make it difficult to fall asleep and may cause you to sleep more lightly and wake up frequently during the night. Caffeine may also increase the need to urinate, disrupting your sleep further. It is recommended to limit caffeine intake, especially in the late afternoon or evening, and to avoid it completely at least four hours before bedtime. If you are having trouble sleeping, consider reducing your daily caffeine intake to no more than 200 mg.

Tobacco

Contrary to the belief that smoking a cigarette before bed is relaxing, nicotine is a stimulant that makes it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep. It can disrupt your sleep onset and sleep quality. To improve your sleep, it is best to avoid tobacco altogether, especially within two hours of your bedtime.

Adopt sleep hygiene habits

Sleep hygiene is a set of habits and practices that can improve the quality of your sleep. Here are some tips to improve your sleep hygiene:

• Exercise regularly: Aim for about 30 minutes of exercise per day, but try to finish your workout several hours before bedtime.
• Maintain a cool, dark, and quiet bedroom environment: Make sure your bedroom is free from distractions and interruptions. Keep the temperature cool, and minimise noise and light.
• Establish a regular bedtime routine: Engage in soothing activities before bed, such as reading or taking a warm bath.
• Limit screen time before bed: Avoid watching TV or using electronic devices in the hours leading up to bedtime, as the light from screens can interfere with your sleep.
• Get up if you can't sleep: If you find yourself lying awake in bed, get up and go to another room. Do something quiet and relaxing, like reading or listening to soothing music, until you feel sleepy.
• Replace your pillows: Consider replacing your pillows if they are over a year old. New, comfortable pillows can help improve your sleep quality.
• Avoid stimulants: Caffeine and cigarettes are stimulants that can interfere with your sleep. Avoid consuming them later in the day.
• Limit alcohol consumption: Alcohol can interfere with your sleep, especially REM sleep. Avoid drinking alcohol close to bedtime.

Frequently asked questions