Everything you need to know about REM sleep

Before we tell you more about REM sleep, let's take you back to the five sleep phases that make up your sleep cycle. You go through your sleep cycle on average four to six times each night. A cycle can last 90 to 120 minutes.

Sleep phase 1: falling asleep phase

The first phase is called the falling asleep phase. During this phase, you float for a few minutes between wakefulness and sleep. Brain activity decreases in this phase.

Sleep phase 2: light sleep

Then the light sleep phase begins. And as the name suggests, you are not yet in deep sleep during this phase, but you also do not wake up from small sounds. This sleep phase lasts just under an hour.

Sleep phase 3: transition phase

After light sleep, you enter the transition phase. In this phase, you start to sleep more deeply. Your breathing becomes regular, your heart rate decreases, and your body relaxes. This phase lasts about five minutes.

Sleep phase 4: deep sleep

Do you end up in your deep sleep? Then you will be here for about 20 minutes. This is actually the most important phase because you rest well from it. Your deep sleep is also called delta sleep or slow-wave sleep. During a deep sleep phase, your body recovers optimally and builds energy for the next day.

Sleep phase 5: REM sleep

REM sleep follows deep sleep and is also called dream sleep because you dream a lot in this phase. Your heart rate and breathing are irregular, your muscles are completely relaxed, and your blood pressure rises. During REM sleep, information processing occurs, and part of our experiences is stored in our long-term memory.

During REM sleep, the experiences you have gained throughout the day are played back in your brain like a kind of movie. This makes your brain very active, and your eyes move quickly back and forth while your eyelids are closed. This is where the name REM sleep comes from. REM stands for 'Rapid Eye Movements'.

In addition to your eyes making a lot of movements in this phase, your heart also beats faster and your blood pressure rises, while your muscles are completely paralyzed.

REM sleep is not without reason one of the most essential sleep phases. During your dream sleep, you process emotional events and important information is stored in your memory. This increases your brain capacity. As a result, there is room for new experiences.

The quality of your sleep is therefore very important because you complete every sleep cycle, including REM sleep. In this phase, the brain has the unique ability to adapt and continue developing.

As the night progresses, dream sleep becomes longer. This means that you remember the dreams you had just before waking up in the morning. You do not have control over when you can remember your dreams; it depends on which phase you wake up in.

Too little REM sleep has unpleasant consequences. Because the brain has not been able to process your experiences well at night, you feel like you have a 'full head'. Your long-term memory deteriorates, as does your ability to concentrate and put things into perspective. Unprocessed emotions make you extra irritable and lead you to find yourself in conflict situations more quickly.

Research shows that good REM sleep also contributes to reducing overactivity in the amygdala (the fear center in the brain). Too little REM sleep is therefore associated with anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and burnout. This in turn leads to additional stress and insomnia, creating a vicious cycle that is difficult to break.

You can compare it to your digestion processing food. Just as your brain processes thoughts, information, and experiences during REM sleep. If your digestion is temporarily interrupted, it results in symptoms such as heartburn, nausea, diarrhea, or a bloated stomach. When you think about it this way, it's not so strange that too little REM sleep in the brain can quickly lead to problems.

How much REM sleep you need strongly depends on your personal needs and age. For example, a baby spends more than 50% of total sleep time in this sleep phase, while older adults around 80 years old have almost no REM sleep left.

For the average adult, 20% to 25% of total sleep time is a good guideline for a healthy amount of REM sleep. Assuming a minimum of 8 hours of sleep per night, you should spend about 1.5 to 2 hours per night in REM sleep.

Now that you know that REM sleep is part of the entire sleep cycle, you will understand that you must also address everything to promote your REM sleep. If you sleep too little or not deeply enough, this will also have negative consequences for the length and quality of your REM sleep.

The first tip is to adjust your sleep rhythm to a consistent sleep rhythm. This stimulates your sleep cycle to function in a 'normal' way. Additionally, it helps create a relaxed brain and body before you go to bed. A weighted blanket can help you with this. For example, by already using the weighted blanket on the couch, you can experience calm before going to bed. This makes it easier to fall asleep, helps you sleep through the night better, and results in a better sleep cycle.

The following tips can also help promote your REM sleep.

• Reduce your alcohol intake. Research shows that while a drink may help you fall asleep a bit faster in the evening, it significantly reduces the quality of your REM sleep because you sleep less deeply. As a result, you wake up feeling less rested.
• Exercise sufficiently every day. Research shows that regular exercise can enhance the quality of your REM sleep. However, never exercise too much just before going to bed, as this will keep you awake longer.
• Ensure a quiet, cool, and dark bedroom. These are the perfect conditions to promote your sleep rhythm.

We hope that after reading this article you know everything about REM sleep. If you have any questions, please let us know. We are happy to help!