What is REM sleep?
REM sleep, also known as rapid eye movement sleep, is one of four stages of sleep, and is the one that is associated with dreaming. During REM sleep, your pulse quickens and your brain activity increases as you have dreams. It first happens after you’ve been sleeping for 90 minutes, and, while the first cycle lasts 10 minutes, this increases more and more the longer you sleep. Your body is also paralyzed during REM sleep, other than your eyes, which is believed to be an evolutionary thing for the safety of you and others, as if not we would act out our dreams.
What are the benefits of REM sleep?
During the REM phase of sleep, your brain exercises and maintains important neural pathways, such as the neural connections which are key to mental and overall health and well-being. As well as this, REM sleep is also associated with learning new information, and stimulates areas of the brain which are essential in making and retaining memories. Dr. Vincent Walsh at the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience in London believes that REM exists to encode memory, particularly procedural memory, which is the kind that helps us with knowing how to do things, creative problem solving and motor skills. It’s therefore extremely important to get plenty of REM sleep so that we can fully develop and succeed in all of these areas.
A full night sleep allows the brain to remove neurotoxins, such as waste products of ‘beta-amyloid’, which is what is found in people with Alzheimer’s disease. A full night sleep also means that you wake up feeling more refreshed, and are less likely to feel tired throughout the day, which could negatively impact productivity and emotions. As REM is the last stage of sleep to happen, it is implied that all of this is linked to REM as well, as interrupted or less sleep would prevent REM from happening, which would mean less time for our brains to process information and get rid of any toxic proteins. Therefore, REM sleep is also extremely important to ensure that the risk of diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s is lowered, and so that we feel more refreshed and awake during the day, which can help you do better at work or school.
How to help achieve REM
As REM sleep is so important, it’s necessary for us to make sure we get the right amount of it each night – which is 90-110 minutes for most of us. Alcohol and nicotine are common reasons for not achieving this, as well as stress or depression, and a lack of regular physical activity. Some things to do to ensure you’re getting enough REM sleep are to exercise regularly, as one day of exercise won’t make much difference, plan your sleep schedule, so that you know you’ll be aiming for the right amount, find outlets for stress, and make sure you’re staying hydrated. It can also help to properly prepare for sleep, through doing things such as making sure you have a comfortable place to sleep, and turning off any electronics or lighting which may keep you awake. As well as this, if you struggle with falling asleep, a regular night time routine will help you and your body adjust and know that you’re going to sleep.