Gina Johnson
Sleep is a bodily process that allows the body to rest, repair and restore itself. There are two types of sleep: rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and non-REM (NREM) sleep. The latter can be further divided into light sleep and deep sleep. Deep sleep is the part of the sleep cycle in which the body recovers from the day and secretes growth hormones associated with cellular repair and rebuilding. REM sleep, on the other hand, is when most dreams occur, and the brain's activity is similar to how it behaves when awake.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Deep sleep | The part of your sleep cycle in which your body recovers from the day |
| Deep sleep percentage | 70% of sleep is deep sleep |
| Deep sleep duration | 25% of your sleeping time is your deepest sleep, which is about 105–120 minutes or one and three-quarters to 2 hours |
| Deep sleep and age | Infants and children require more deep sleep for growth and development, while adults might see a decrease in deep sleep as they age |
| Deep sleep and health | Deep sleep is essential for physical restoration, energy replenishment, brain health, and immune function |
| REM sleep | A stage of sleep where most dreams occur |
| REM sleep and brain activity | Brain activity in REM sleep looks similar to how it looks when you are awake |
| REM sleep and muscle tone | There is a complete loss of muscle tone in REM sleep, except for the eyes, which move rapidly |
| REM sleep and breathing | Breathing becomes irregular and speeds up |
| REM sleep and heart rate | Heart rate rises |
| REM sleep and blood pressure | Blood pressure increases |
| REM sleep and brain development | REM sleep is thought to aid in the development of the central nervous system, which includes the brain and spinal cord |
| REM sleep and memory | During REM sleep, your brain processes new learnings and motor skills from the day, committing some to memory, maintaining others, and deciding which ones to delete |
| REM sleep and mood regulation | REM sleep helps your brain process emotional memories, including ones associated with fear |
| REM sleep and age | REM sleep needs shift as you age. Newborns spend about half their sleep time in REM sleep, which decreases to about 17% by age 80 |
| REM sleep and dementia | People who get less REM sleep may have a greater risk of developing dementia |
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What You'll Learn
Deep sleep is when the body repairs itself
Sleep is a body process that allows the body to rest, repair, and restore itself. There are two categories of sleep: rapid-eye movement (REM) sleep and non-REM (NREM) sleep. NREM sleep is further divided into three stages, with NREM stage 3 being the deepest stage of sleep.
Deep sleep accounts for about 25% of total sleep time in adults. However, babies and children need more deep sleep for growth and development, and this requirement decreases as they get older. Adults need about 1.5 to 2 hours of deep sleep each night.
To increase the chances of getting a good night's sleep, it is recommended to establish regular sleep-wake habits, ensure a quiet and comfortable sleeping environment, and create a bedtime routine to relax before sleep.
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REM sleep is when dreaming occurs
Sleep is a body process that allows your body to rest, repair, and restore itself. Sleep happens in two main stages: rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. NREM sleep is further divided into three or four distinct substages.
Dreams can happen during any stage of sleep, but the vivid ones that you remember tend to occur during REM sleep. If someone wakes you up during REM sleep, you might know you were just dreaming. When someone wakes you up during NREM sleep, on the other hand, you’re far less likely to feel as if you were just dreaming.
A 2020 study found that descriptions of dream experiences in the NREM phase tended to be more abstract than descriptions of REM dream experiences, which were more elaborate and vivid. This supports the idea that REM sleep is when dreaming occurs.
Despite this wealth of descriptive information about the stages of sleep, the functional purposes of the various sleep states are not known. While most sleep researchers accept that the purpose of non-REM sleep is at least partly restorative, the function of REM sleep remains a matter of considerable controversy.
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Deep sleep is essential for physical restoration
Sleep is a body process that allows the body to rest, repair and restore itself. There are two main categories of sleep: rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and non-REM (NREM) sleep. NREM sleep can be further broken down into light sleep (stages 1 and 2) and deep sleep (stage 3).
Deep sleep accounts for about 25% of total sleep time in adults, but babies and children need more deep sleep for growth and development. The older we get, the less deep sleep we need. However, deep sleep remains essential throughout life for physical restoration and brain health.
If you are not getting enough deep sleep, you may feel tired and drained, even if you have had a full night of rest. Signs of not getting enough deep sleep include daytime fatigue, mood swings, difficulty concentrating, memory issues, and a general feeling of being unwell.
To increase your chances of getting a good night's sleep, it is recommended to establish regular sleep-wake habits, ensure your bedroom is quiet, comfortable and restful, and establish a bedtime routine that helps you relax before sleep.
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REM sleep is important for brain health
Sleep is a body process that allows the body to rest, repair and restore itself. It is important for maintaining health. Lack of sleep has been linked to many health issues.
REM sleep makes up about 25% of our total sleep time. The first cycle is typically the shortest, around 10 minutes, and each cycle that follows is longer than the last. Towards the end of the night, we may spend up to half an hour in REM sleep.
REM sleep is important for brain development. Newborns spend most of their sleep time in REM, and it is thought that REM sleep aids in the development of the central nervous system, which includes the brain and spinal cord. Research has shown that people who get less REM sleep may have a greater risk of developing dementia.
REM sleep also helps with memory consolidation. During this stage, the brain processes new learnings and motor skills from the day, committing some to memory, maintaining others, and deciding which ones to delete. Our brain also prunes its synapses during REM sleep, which improves memory and problem-solving abilities.
Additionally, REM sleep helps with mood regulation. It enables the brain to process emotional memories, including those associated with fear.
To improve the quality of sleep, it is recommended to establish regular sleep-wake habits, ensure a quiet and comfortable sleeping environment, and create a bedtime routine to help relax before sleep.
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Deep sleep and REM sleep both contribute to a good night's rest
Sleep is a bodily process that allows the body to rest, repair, and restore itself. It is essential for proper functioning, and a lack of it is linked to various health issues. The sleep cycle is broadly divided into two categories: rapid-eye movement (REM) sleep and non-REM (NREM) sleep.
REM sleep is a fascinating stage of the sleep cycle, characterized by rapid eye movement behind closed eyelids. During this stage, brain activity resembles that of wakefulness, with increased brain activity, heart rate, blood pressure, and irregular breathing. The muscles in the arms and legs become temporarily paralyzed, likely a protective measure to prevent people from acting out their dreams. REM sleep is crucial for brain health and function and is associated with improved learning, memory consolidation, and emotional processing. It accounts for about 25% of total sleep time and is when most dreams occur.
Deep sleep, on the other hand, is a part of NREM sleep, specifically N3, and is the deepest stage of sleep. During deep sleep, the body repairs itself, boosts the immune system, and restores bones, muscles, and tissues. It is essential for physical restoration and energy replenishment, and individuals need about 1.5 to 2 hours of it each night. Deep sleep is harder to wake up from, and insufficient deep sleep can result in feeling tired, even after a full night's rest.
Both REM and deep sleep are crucial for a good night's rest. While REM sleep contributes to cognitive functions and emotional balance, deep sleep is vital for physical restoration and repair. Achieving a healthy balance between these two stages ensures that individuals wake up feeling rested and refreshed. Lifestyle choices, sleep habits, exercise, and diet can influence the quality and duration of these sleep stages.
Additionally, the need for REM and deep sleep changes with age. Infants and children require more deep sleep for growth and development, while adults experience a decrease in deep sleep as they get older. Similarly, newborns have higher REM sleep requirements, which gradually decrease with age, with older adults experiencing a slight reduction in REM sleep.
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Frequently asked questions
REM stands for rapid eye movement because your eyes move rapidly during this stage of sleep. It is one of the two broad categories of sleep, the other being non-REM (NREM) sleep. During REM sleep, your brain activity is similar to how it looks when you are awake, and this is when most of your dreaming occurs.
Deep sleep is a part of the sleep cycle in which your body recovers from the day. It is when your body repairs itself, boosting your immune system and restoring your bones, muscles, and tissue.
The percentage of deep sleep you need changes with age. Infants and children require more deep sleep for growth and development, while adults need less as they get older. Typically, you need about 1.5 to 2 hours of deep sleep each night.
Signs that you are not getting enough deep sleep include daytime fatigue, mood swings, difficulty concentrating, memory issues, and a general feeling of not being well-rested. You can use sleep trackers to monitor your sleep patterns and see how much deep sleep you are getting.
To increase the amount of deep sleep you get, you can try improving your sleep hygiene by maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, creating a restful sleeping environment, and avoiding stimulants close to bedtime. Regular physical activity can also increase the amount of deep sleep you get.
