woman floating in purple spaceSleep is a crucial part of healthy living. Truly, we can’t live without it. More specifically, we can’t live without deep sleep, otherwise known as REM (rapid eye movement). It’s recommended that we get at least seven to nine hours every night. 

At the surface, it seems as though we’re just spending a long time in la la land. But in reality – this time is necessary for our mind and body to go through some important processes in order to stay energetic and healthy. 

What is REM sleep? 

REM sleep or ‘paradoxical sleep’ is the cycle of your sleep when your eyes will move and dart quickly beneath your eyelids. REM sleep is distinguished between non-REM sleep because this is the time your brain activity increases, your pulse quickens and you have dreams. But this cycle doesn’t occur until after three phases of non-REM sleep according to Medical News Today, which are: 

Phase 1:

In this phase, you’ll be drifting off to sleep, relaxed and in between being awake and asleep.

Phase 2:

In this phase, you’re starting to prepare for deep sleep so your body temperature begins to drop and your heart rate slows down.

Phase 3-4:

This is also known as slow-wave sleep. In this phase you’re in a state of deep and restorative sleep. Your muscles really relax and you’re not as easily woken up. The body is repairing tissue and bones in order to strengthen your immune system.

Then REM sleep really starts to take place, typically around 90 minutes in. This sleep stage recurs every 90 minutes, for about 10 minutes each time – meaning you might go through three to five REM cycles every night. Only about 13 to 23 percent of your overall sleep is deep sleep. If you sleep for around 8 hours, you might only get about 60 to 110 minutes.

Now is the time when you are most likely dreaming and your brainwaves are darting around, but your arms and legs are still in place to prevent you from physically enacting your dreams.

Why is REM sleep important?

When we talk about being sleep deprived, it’s not always about the length of time you’re sleeping. Of course, we need somewhere from seven to eight hours on average, but reaching that REM stage and getting at least 90 minutes of it is the crux of a good night’s rest. And quite frankly, the launching point for a healthy life.

In fact, if REM sleep is interrupted, that could also carry you into the next night because your sleep progression has been put out of whack. Here are the main reasons behind the significance of REM sleep and why we need it.

It preserves memory and learning

REM sleep is critical for our learning, memory and mood. It stimulates brain regions that are essential for learning and making memories. Therefore our ability to remember things short and long-term is highly dependent on reaching REM during our sleep cycles. This study with rats found that after four days without REM sleep, cell growth in the region that contributes to long-term memory was impacted. In this way, you can look at REM sleep being important for everything from athletes working on their technical skills to learning how to ride a bike to recalling something new you’ve learnt in school.

Our brains need deep sleep to consolidate and process all of the learning and external stimuli we’re receiving on a daily basis.

It’s critical for young brain development

REM has been studied and recognized as important for infancy brain development, which explains why infants sleep a lot more than adults do. Essentially, it helps the brain make important mature neural connections and it may

It’s important for our overall well being and health

Having decent REM sleep every night means we have a better chance at remaining healthy and we’re in a better position to cope with threatening life situations; we’re just able to focus and concentrate more. When our brains receive deep sleep, we’re also less likely to acquire migraines because the key proteins that are responsible for initiating migraine pain are not fully activated.

Not to mention, REM sleep is important for health longevity. This study showed that depriving rats of REM sleep shortened their life span from two or three years to 5 weeks. Rats deprived of all sleep cycles lived only three weeks! That’s substantial enough to really recognize how important REM sleep is for our present and future health.

Why am I not getting enough REM sleep? 

So now you know how important obtaining quality REM sleep is. And if you’ve made it this far, you’re probably questioning why you’ve been lacking it recently. We definitely hope this isn’t the case, but if it is, there are a number of reasons why our REM cycle may be interrupted or curtailed, including:

  • Jet lag

  • Substance use: caffeine, alcohol, marijuana, narcotic medications, antidepressant medications, etc.

  • Lack of regular physical activity

  • Sleep disorders or medical conditions: obstructive sleep apnea, narcolepsy, insomnia, etc.

  • Stress and depression

If you’re concerned about prolonged sleep deprivation or lack of REM sleep, consult with a physician. No two people are the same and we could be influenced by multiple things at once or something deeper – it’s always best to check. 

How can I get more REM Sleep?

Besides connecting with a sleep physician or your own doctor, there are some practical steps you can take into your own hands to extend or increase REM sleep:

Sleep consistency

Try to maintain a strict and consistent sleep schedule. Go to bed at the same time every night and wake up at the same time every morning to maximize the amount and quality of sleep, including the number of REM sleep phases.

Stay off substances before bed

This one is huge; be mindful of taking any substances too close to when you go to bed. That second glass of wine or joint may seem harmless, but try going without it for a while before sleeping and see what happens. According to Marcos Frank and a study he helped document at the National Institutes of Health,”REM sleep is very fragile — it can be inhibited by drugs very easily”.

Get physical activity every day

Just doing this one day isn’t enough. This means getting into a habit of doing something physical for at least 20 – 30 minutes a day whether that’s a walk, jog, swim, yoga, etc. According to research, those who are more active fall asleep faster.

Sleep in a relaxing environment

If your environment is not prepped for sleeping then it can be very challenging to slip into your REM cycle. That’s why you need to create your ideal sleep environment. Have extra pillows and a fan on in the background for some white noise. Ensure you’re sleeping in a room free from loud noises, bright lights, and warm temperatures.

Additionally, your sleep surface can have a huge effect on your comfort and ability to sleep well. If you’re trying to get better sleep, evaluate whether the mattress you are using is comfortable and supportive. After that, keep technology use to a minimum before going to bed. Instead, try reading, journaling, meditate or do some light yoga.

Final Thoughts

REM sleep and quality sleep in general is important to your overall health, well-being and development. By taking all of the above information into account, you’ll be on the right track to feeling rested and healthy. And even though the technology is new, there are sleep trackers out there to help you track your sleep pattern so you can better gauge your cycles.