How much REM sleep do you need?
SLEEP is very important for your body to unwind and recharge the energy that it needs to go through the day.
Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep is a deep form of sleep which will help make sure that your energy levels are full and ready to get you working.
What is REM sleep?
REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, as its name suggests, is characterised by random and rapid eye movement of the eyes.
During one good night’s rest, people experience a cycle of various stages of sleep, including four to five periods of REM sleep.
The REM stage usually starts after around 90 minutes of being asleep, and each REM period is longer than the one before it.
The body and brain go through many changes in an REM period, including irregular breaking, increased heart rate and blood pressure, body temperature changes, twitching, brain activity similar to being awake, and sexual arousal.
How much REM sleep do I need a night?
Humans need deep sleep to repair their muscles – and even surface wounds heal quicker during period of deep sleep.
For an average adult who needs between seven and nine hours sleep, they should have at least 1.5 hours in deep sleep, including REM.
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What are the other stages of sleep?
- Stage 1 non-REM – very light sleep or awake
- Stage 2 non-REM – slightly deeper sleep, with a decreased body temperature and heart rate
- Stage 3 and 4 non REM – deep sleep, where the muscles fully relax and the body repairs and grows tissue