Use these tips to get more REM Sleep.
You may already know that the National Sleep Foundation (NSF) suggests between 7 and 9 hours of sleep every night for adults. Keeping up with the NSF’s recommendations can help you maintain good health.
However, as many people may understand sleep as one compact event occurring when in bed at night, scientists describe it as a cycle of four stages. When asleep, our bodies repeatedly cycle between the N1, N2, N3, and rapid eye movement (REM) stages of sleep.
Each of these four stages has unique benefits to the body that converge, allowing us to function at our best during the day.
While getting enough of all stages of sleep is important, specialists recommend more REM sleep because of its exceptional benefits—your brain processes and stores information during this stage of sleep. You get better memories because your brain locks down the things you learn during the day.
Averagely, humans need between 90 and 110 minutes of uninterrupted REM sleep every night. However, it can be elusive to attain the recommended period of REM sleep sometimes.
Many people struggle to get sufficient REM due to interruptions and unhealthy sleeping habits and patterns. Why does that happen? This article explores tips to help you increase your REM sleep. Moreover, you learn the benefits of having more minutes of sleep.
What is REM sleep?
REM stands for rapid eye movement. It is a stage of sleep when the human eyes move rapidly (from side to side) while the eyelids are closed.
The REM stage of sleep may be the lightest but the most physiologically demanding of the four stages of sleep.
This stage usually starts about 90 minutes into your sleep. The longer you sleep, the deeper the periods of REM stage increase.
Mostly, your dreams appear during REM stage. While in REM stage, your blood pressure and heartbeat rate attain their waking points. The arms and legs’ muscles numb, preventing you from acting out the dreams occurring in your brain.
When in REM sleep, your brain activity rapidly increases, and the oxygen consumption rate rises.
How Much REM Sleep Do You Need?
Scientists believe that this sleep is the stage of sleep responsible for mental restoration. The stage allows your brain to shape and convert its short-term memories to long-lasting ones.
However, how much of this REM sleep do you need per night?
You require to spend between 20% and 25% of your total sleep in the REM sleep mode every night.
Assuming you get a total sleep of 7 hours a night, then you spend about 90 minutes in the REM mode.
As an adult, you require between 20% and 25% of sleep in REM sleep. However, the periods vary for newborns and the elderly. The amount of time spent in REM goes down with age.
Risks of Not Getting Enough REM Sleep?
Yes! Not getting enough REM-stage sleep can lead to various adverse effects on your brain and body. You experience frequent migraines. Additionally, your brain fails to create new memories.
Lack of sufficient REM-stage sleep can cause sleep deprivation since most REM sleep occurs in the hours closer to morning.
You are likely to have sleep deprivation if you do not sleep at least seven hours a night. The condition (sleep deprivation) can lead to increased risks of diseases such as cancer, obesity, depression, cardiovascular disease, and dementia.
More so, sleep deprivation can weaken the defense strength of your immune system.
How to Increase REM Sleep?
Increasing the amount of REM sleep calls for a change in your sleeping patterns and behaviors. Spending more hours asleep can increase the quantity and quality of sleep per night. Having less or no interruptions at night and making your bedroom comfier can help you increase how to get deep sleep.
Maintaining sleep consistency helps to increase how your brain activity occurs while asleep. Consistency means that you go to bed at the same time and wake up each night at the same time regularly.
More so, physiologists recommend avoidance of alcoholic substances before bedtime. Your body works too hard to process alcohol in your system, interrupting the transition from one stage of sleep to another.
The REM sleep stage is the most vulnerable because it comes in the hours closer to morning. You may also switch your phone off when going to bed to avoid disruptions from phone calls.
Also, avoid thinking about unresolved issues while in bed. If possible, close all businesses before going to bed.
Note that you may not be getting enough REM sleep if you sleep for 7 or more hours but keep turning and tossing all night.
More so, you cannot force your brain into REM sleep. However, embracing some strategies can help you improve your sleep quality and quantity hence boosting your REM sleep. These techniques are:
- Observing a healthy diet
- Reducing/avoiding stress
- Block out light using an eye mask
- Have consistent sleep routines and rituals
- Sleeping in a cool bedroom
- Exercising
- Regular meditations
- Practice brainwave entertainment
What Happens During REM Sleep?
During REM sleep, your brain and body undertake various functions. Some of these functions include:
- Consolidation of memories
- Physical recovery
- Detoxification of the brain
- Emotions and learning processes
- Energization of the immune system
- Balancing of metabolism and blood sugar level
If you do not have enough REM sleep, your brain and body may not complete some of these functions, causing symptoms of sleep deprivation.
More so, scientists do not believe there is such a thing as too much REM sleep. Therefore, the more time you spend in REM sleep, the better.
Final Thoughts
Scientists argue that sleep is as essential to the body as food and water. Insufficient sleep is unhealthy and should be confronted as early as possible.
While all the five stages of sleep are important, REM sleep may be considered the most essential because it promotes resting and staying healthy.
Averagely, an adult human being gets about 1 to 2 hours of REM sleep in 8 hours of sleep. You can track the quality and quantity of your sleep using personal trackers.
It is important to consult a specialist if you regularly wake up tired. Ignoring or procrastinating about sleep loss or other abnormal experiences in the bedroom can be dangerous to your brain and body.
