Evie Summers
REM sleep is important for brain development, memory consolidation, emotional processing, and dreaming. It is characterised by relaxed muscles, quick eye movement, irregular breathing, an elevated heart rate, and increased brain activity. While we need the most REM sleep as infants and children, most adults need about two hours of REM sleep each night.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Role | Memory consolidation, emotional processing, brain development, dreaming |
| Time needed | Newborns: 8 hours |
| Time needed | Adults: 2 hours |
| Brain activity | Increased |
| Eye movement | Rapid |
| Heart rate | Elevated |
| Breathing | Irregular |
| Muscle relaxation | Relaxed |
| Learning | Aids learning |
| Brain repair | Brain repairs itself |
| Dementia protection | Lack of REM sleep linked to higher risk of dementia |
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What You'll Learn
REM sleep and brain development
REM sleep is believed to be important for brain development, particularly in young brains. Studies in rats have shown that deprivation of REM sleep during early development delayed maturation of the visual cortex and impaired maturation of the motor system.
REM sleep reportedly promotes cortical plasticity, which is important for the consolidation of waking experiences in the developing brain. This process is known as developmental neuroplasticity, which refers to the continuous change of the developing brain during fetal development.
REM sleep has been found to selectively prune newly formed dendritic spines in the developing brain, as well as strengthening new synapses. This process is critical for normal neuronal circuit development and behavioural improvement after learning.
A recent study of the role of REM sleep in the development of young brains suggests that it makes experiences “stick” in the brain. The findings emphasise the importance of REM sleep in early life and point to a need for caution in giving young children REM-suppressing medications like antidepressants and stimulants for ADHD.
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REM sleep and memory
REM sleep is important for memory consolidation and learning. During REM sleep, the brain repairs itself and processes emotional experiences. It also transfers short-term memories into long-term memories. This is why infants and children need more REM sleep than adults, as their brains are still developing. Newborn babies spend eight hours in REM sleep each day. By adulthood, we only need an average of two hours of REM sleep each night.
REM sleep is also important for brain development. It is thought to aid in the development of the central nervous system, which includes the brain and spinal cord. People who get less REM sleep may have a greater risk of developing dementia. A study published in the journal *Neurology* found that for every 1% reduction in REM sleep, there was a 9% increase in the risk of dementia.
If you don't get enough REM sleep, your body will naturally increase it the next night. You'll enter this stage earlier and stay in it for longer. To increase your REM sleep, you need to get more sleep overall. Creating a relaxing bedtime routine can help you wind down each night.
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REM sleep and learning
REM sleep is important for learning and memory. During REM sleep, the brain repairs itself and processes emotional experiences. It also transfers short-term memories into long-term memories. This is why we need the most REM sleep as infants and children, when our brains are still developing. Newborn babies spend eight hours in REM sleep each day. By adulthood, we only need an average of two hours of REM sleep each night.
REM sleep is characterised by relaxed muscles, quick eye movement, irregular breathing, elevated heart rate, and increased brain activity. During REM sleep, your eyes move rapidly and your brain is active. Deeper sleep happens during non-REM sleep, when your heart rate and body temperature decrease.
If you don't get enough REM sleep, you may experience symptoms such as difficulty concentrating and regulating your mood. Research has also found that people who get less REM sleep may have a greater risk of developing dementia.
Overall, REM sleep is crucial for learning and memory consolidation, and getting enough of it is essential for maintaining cognitive function and overall health.
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REM sleep and emotional processing
REM sleep is important for emotional processing. During REM sleep, the brain repairs itself and processes emotional experiences. It also transfers short-term memories into long-term memories. If you don't get enough REM sleep, you may experience symptoms such as difficulty concentrating, regulating your mood, and learning.
REM sleep is also important for brain development, particularly in infants and children. Newborn babies spend eight hours in REM sleep each day, and this decreases to an average of two hours per night by adulthood. This may be because REM sleep aids in the development of the central nervous system, which includes the brain and spinal cord.
Research has also found a link between a lack of REM sleep and an increased risk of dementia. A study published in the journal *Neurology* found that for every 1% reduction in REM sleep, there was a 9% increase in the risk of dementia.
Overall, REM sleep is important for emotional processing, memory consolidation, brain development, and dreaming. While we need less REM sleep as adults, it is still crucial for maintaining cognitive and emotional functioning.
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REM sleep and dementia
Spending less time in REM sleep and taking longer to enter REM sleep are associated with a higher risk of developing dementia. REM sleep is the sleep stage when dreaming occurs, and it is thought to be responsible for memory consolidation. On average, humans spend approximately one-third of their life, or about eight hours per night, sleeping. Sleep is categorised into both non-REM and REM sleep, with REM sleep accounting for only a quarter of total sleep time.
A 2017 study published in the journal *Neurology* found that people who developed dementia spent an average of 17% of their sleep time in REM sleep, compared to 20% for those who did not develop dementia. After adjusting for age and sex, researchers found links between both a lower percentage of REM sleep and a longer time to get to the REM sleep stage and a greater risk of dementia. For every 1% reduction in REM sleep, there was a 9% increase in the risk of dementia.
The study's lead author, Matthew Pase, PhD, a neurology fellow and FHS investigator at BUSM, explained that "different stages of sleep may differentially affect key features of Alzheimer's disease. Our findings implicate REM sleep mechanisms as predictors of dementia." Pase and his colleagues also found that people who consistently sleep more than nine hours each night had double the risk of developing dementia in 10 years compared to participants who slept for nine hours or less.
The next step, according to Pase, is to determine whether REM sleep helps protect the brain from dementia or is sensitive to early brain changes that accompany dementia. By clarifying the role of sleep in the onset of dementia, researchers hope to identify possible ways to intervene so that dementia can be delayed or even prevented.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, REM sleep is important for brain development and function.
Most adults need about two hours of REM sleep each night. We need the most REM sleep as infants and children, when our brains are still developing. Newborn babies spend eight hours in REM sleep each day.
During REM sleep, your eyes move rapidly, your brain is active, and your heart rate is elevated. It is also the stage of sleep in which you dream.
REM sleep plays a role in memory consolidation, emotional processing, brain development, and dreaming. It stimulates the areas of your brain that help with learning and memory, and it helps you concentrate and regulate your mood.
If you don't get enough REM sleep, your body will naturally increase it the next night. However, people who consistently get less REM sleep may have a greater risk of developing dementia, according to a study published in the journal Neurology.
