REM sleep is a phase of deep sleep that is characterized by rapid eye movements, vivid dreams, involuntary muscle movements, intense brain activity, breathing and faster heart rate that guarantee a greater supply of more oxygen in this period. This phase of sleep is very important in the processing of memories and knowledge, for example.
During sleep there are several different moments, the first being the lightest sleep and then going through other phases until reaching REM sleep. However, in order to achieve REM sleep, some measures are necessary before bed, such as avoiding cell phone use, drinking beverages and foods rich in caffeine and alcohol, and it is necessary to maintain a dark environment to activate melatonin, which is the hormone produced by the body that has the function of regulating sleep.
Because it's important
Reaching the REM sleep stage, which is the deep sleep phase, is important for fixing memories, processing experiences and knowledge acquired during the day. In addition, REM sleep guarantees a good night's rest and helps prevent heart disease and mental and psychological problems such as anxiety and depression. Check out some tips for a good night's sleep.
In babies and children, REM sleep is even more important because as they are going through a moment of intense development, the brain needs to organize all the accumulated learning daily to later reproduce what it has learned. In this way, it is natural for children to achieve more quickly and stay longer in REM sleep than adults.
As it happens
During sleep there is a cycle of several phases and REM sleep happens in the fourth phase, so it takes time to arrive in this period. First, the body goes through a process of non-REM sleep that consists of a first stage of light sleep, which lasts approximately 90 minutes, and then another stage, also of light sleep, which takes an average of 20 minutes.
After these two stages, the body reaches REM sleep and the person starts to dream and has changes in the body, such as rapid eye movements, even when closed, increased brain function, and faster breathing and heartbeat.
The duration of REM sleep depends on each person and the total sleep time, which ideally should be between 7 to 9 hours, and during the night the person goes through this phase a few times, repeating the cycle 4 to 5 times. Learn more about how the sleep cycle works and recognize the phases.
How to achieve REM sleep
To achieve REM sleep and improve the quality of the rest time at night, it is ideal to follow some measures such as establishing a sleep routine to prepare the body and mind, being necessary to reduce the ambient light, avoid loud sounds and not use the cell phone and not watching television right before bed.
In addition, the room temperature should be kept between 19 to 21 degrees, as a pleasant climate is also important for the body to rest properly and it is not recommended to eat foods or drinks with a lot of sugar, caffeine and alcohol as this can negatively influence sleep quality.
See in the video below 10 tricks to sleep faster and better and thus improve the quality of REM sleep:
Consequences of lack of REM sleep
If a person does not achieve REM sleep, deep sleep can have some consequences on the body and mind, as it is a period of sleep necessary for brain renewal. Some studies show that adults and children who do not achieve REM sleep are at greater risk of developing migraine, obesity, and are more likely to have learning problems and suffer from anxiety and stress.
However, some health problems can impair sleep and cause a person not to achieve REM sleep easily, such as sleep apnea, which is the disorder that causes the momentary stop of breathing. Narcolepsy is another disease that causes abnormalities in the regulation of REM sleep and occurs when a person goes to sleep at any time of the day and anywhere. See better what is narcolepsy and what is the treatment.
To find out what time to wake up or what time to sleep in order to have a restful sleep that achieves REM sleep, just put the data in the following calculator:
