How Much Rem Sleep Is Healthy?

Sleep is a complex and mysterious body process that is essential for health and wellbeing. Humans spend about one-third of their lives asleep, yet most individuals know little about it. Sleep is divided into two types: non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. NREM sleep is further divided into four stages, representing a continuum of relative depth. Each stage has unique characteristics, including variations in brain wave patterns, eye movements, and muscle tone.

REM sleep is the stage of sleep where most dreams occur. It is characterised by rapid eye movements, increased brain activity, and temporary muscle paralysis. This stage of sleep is important for memory, learning, and creativity, as well as emotion regulation and memory processing.

On average, a healthy adult will spend about 20-25% of their sleep in the REM stage. However, this percentage can vary depending on age and other factors. For example, newborns tend to have the highest percentage of REM sleep, while older adults typically need less. Additionally, certain sleep disorders, such as insomnia or obstructive sleep apnea, can disrupt the REM stage of sleep.

Understanding the ideal percentage of REM sleep is crucial, as too little or too much can impact an individual's health and wellbeing.

REM sleep is when most dreaming occurs

Sleep is divided into two types: non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. NREM sleep is further divided into four stages, while REM sleep is one stage.

REM sleep is important for several reasons. Firstly, it aids in the consolidation and processing of new information, helping with memory, learning, and creativity. Secondly, it contributes to better mental concentration and mood regulation, which are critical for daily work performance and overall quality of life.

The recommended amount of sleep for adults is seven to nine hours each night. On average, REM sleep constitutes about 20-25% of total sleep time, with each REM stage lasting longer than the last, up to an hour.

However, the amount of REM sleep one needs may vary. While there is no official agreement on the ideal amount, experts believe that dreaming during REM sleep helps with emotion processing. Therefore, too little or too much REM sleep can have negative consequences on mood and mental health.

REM sleep is important for memory, learning and creativity

Sleep is important for memory, learning, and creativity, and the REM stage of sleep plays a crucial role in these functions. REM sleep, or rapid-eye movement sleep, is the fourth stage of sleep, characterised by relaxed muscles, quick eye movement, irregular breathing, elevated heart rate, and increased brain activity.

During the REM stage, the brain processes new learnings and motor skills from the day, deciding what to commit to memory, what to maintain, and what to delete. This process is known as memory consolidation, and it is essential for learning and memory retention. Research has shown that sleep improves memory retention and recall by 20 to 40%.

Additionally, REM sleep is associated with dreaming, and dreams may play a role in emotional processing and creativity. The amygdala, the part of the brain responsible for processing emotions, is activated during REM sleep. The vivid dreams that occur during this stage may allow for the processing of emotions and the formation of new ideas and connections, thus enhancing creativity.

Furthermore, the amount of REM sleep an individual needs changes throughout their lifetime. Newborns spend eight hours in REM sleep per day, while adults require only two hours on average per night. This highlights the importance of REM sleep for brain development, especially in infancy and childhood when the brain is still developing.

In summary, REM sleep is vital for memory consolidation, emotional processing, and creativity. By strengthening memories, processing emotions, and fostering new ideas, REM sleep plays a key role in learning, memory, and creative thinking.

Deep sleep is when the body repairs and regrows tissues

Deep sleep, or NREM stage 3, is the deepest stage of sleep. During this stage, your brain waves are slow but strong, and your body takes advantage of this very deep sleep stage to repair injuries and reinforce your immune system. Your muscles are extremely relaxed and it is difficult to rouse someone awake who is in this stage. If they do wake up, they’ll probably have “sleep inertia”, a state of confusion or “mental fog” that lasts about 30 minutes.

Deep sleep is when your body secretes growth hormone, which is associated with cellular rebuilding and repair. It has also been shown to help strengthen your immune system.

Deep sleep is very much about the body, whereas REM sleep is about the brain. During REM sleep, the brain is very active, yet the body is very inactive. In fact, the body is so inactive that you are actively paralysed during REM sleep.

Deep sleep makes up about 25% of your total sleep time. If you get the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep each night, you should be getting anywhere between an hour and just under two hours of deep sleep.

However, it’s important to note that the time you go to bed can greatly influence how much deep sleep you get. Research shows that sleeping between the hours of 8 p.m. and midnight sets you up for the best chance at restorative sleep, no matter what time your alarm is set for. Keep in mind, it typically takes about an hour to drift into these deeper stages, so the earlier you head to bed before midnight, the better your chances of getting the deep sleep you need.

Deep sleep is when the immune system is strengthened

Sleep is divided into two types: non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. NREM sleep is further divided into four stages, each with unique characteristics. NREM sleep constitutes about 75 to 80% of total sleep, while REM sleep makes up the remaining 20 to 25%.

Deep sleep, which occurs during the third stage of NREM sleep, is when the body repairs and regrows tissues, builds bone and muscle, and strengthens the immune system. During this stage, the body produces a protein called cytokines, which target infection and inflammation, creating an immune response. The body also produces T-cells, which are white blood cells that play a critical role in the body's immune response to infectious diseases.

Deep sleep is essential for health and well-being. Most adults need around 1.5 to 2 hours of deep sleep per night. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that adults aged 18 to 60 years get at least 7 hours of sleep per night, with about 25% of this time spent in deep sleep.

• Establish a consistent sleep schedule by going to bed and waking up at the same time every day.
• Avoid napping during the day, or limit naps to no more than 30 minutes.
• Create a relaxing sleep environment by making your bedroom quiet, dark, and cool.
• Avoid looking at electronic devices at least one hour before bedtime, as the blue light emitted from screens can disrupt your sleep.
• Exercise regularly, but avoid strenuous exercise close to bedtime as it can raise your body temperature and heart rate, making it harder to fall asleep.
• Avoid consuming caffeine, alcohol, or large meals close to bedtime, as they can disrupt your sleep.
• Establish a bedtime routine that helps you relax, such as taking a warm bath or listening to soothing music.

By prioritising sleep and maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, you can strengthen your immune system and improve your overall health and well-being.

REM sleep is when the brain is very active

Sleep is a complex and dynamic process that affects our functioning in ways that scientists are only beginning to understand. It is known, however, that sleep is essential to survival, comparable in importance to food and water.

There are two basic types of sleep: rapid-eye movement (REM) sleep and non-REM sleep. During the REM stage, the brain is highly active, with brain waves that resemble the brain activity of a waking person. The eyes move rapidly behind closed eyelids, the heart rate speeds up, and breathing becomes irregular. The body operates similarly to how it does when awake, except for the temporary loss of muscle tone, which prevents sleepers from acting out their dreams. Dreaming mostly takes place during REM sleep, and dreams are usually more vivid than those that occur during non-REM sleep.

REM sleep is important for several reasons. Firstly, it plays a role in memory consolidation, with the brain processing new learnings and motor skills from the day, deciding which ones to keep and which to delete. Secondly, it is important for emotional processing, with the amygdala (the part of the brain that processes emotions) activating during this stage. Thirdly, REM sleep is important for brain development, with newborns spending most of their sleep time in this stage. Finally, it helps us prepare for wakefulness, which may explain why we spend increasing amounts of time in REM sleep as the night progresses and why we are easier to wake up during this stage.

Healthy adults need around 7-9 hours of sleep per night, with REM sleep accounting for about 20-25% of this. The first REM cycle is typically the shortest, lasting about 10 minutes, but each subsequent cycle gets longer, up to an hour. As people age, they tend to spend less time in REM sleep.

Frequently asked questions