What Is REM Sleep?
Article Sources
- 1. 'Sleep Basics: REM & NREM, Sleep Stages, Good Sleep Habits & More.' Cleveland Clinic, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/12148-sleep-basics.
- 2. Eagleman, David, et al. 'Why Do We Dream? A New Theory on How It Protects Our Brains.' Time, time.com/5925206/why-do-we-dream.
- 3. 'Dreaming Also Occurs during Non Rapid Eye Movement Sleep.' ScienceDaily, www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/08/160809121817.htm.
- 4. 'Stages of Sleep.' Sleep Foundation, www.sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/stages-of-sleep.
- 5. 'Dreams: FAQ.' Dreamresearch.net, University of California, Santa Cruz, dreams.ucsc.edu/FAQ.
- 6. ASA Authors & Reviewers Sleep Physician at American Sleep Association Reviewers and Writers Board-certified sleep M.D. physicians. 'REM Sleep: Why Is It Important?' American Sleep Association, www.sleepassociation.org/about-sleep/stages-of-sleep/rem-sleep.
- 7. Publishing, Harvard Health. 'Repaying Your Sleep Debt.' Harvard Health, Harvard University, July 2007, www.health.harvard.edu/fhg/updates/Repaying-your-sleep-debt.shtml.
- 8. 'Nightmares: Symptoms, Causes, & Treatment.' Sleep Foundation, 9 Oct. 2020, www.sleepfoundation.org/nightmares.
7. Why REM Sleep is Important
REM sleep is believed to be imperative to the brain's ability to remember things, but it only accounts for about 20 percent of the sleep the average person experiences nightly. Babies can spend up to half of their sleep in the REM stage. Brain activity is significantly increased during this stage, when muscle memory and physical skills learned during the day consolidates.
Missing out on the REM stage of sleep or inhibiting it can have negative effects on memory-building and skill retention.4‘Stages of Sleep.’ Sleep Foundation, www.sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/stages-of-sleep.
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