Rem sleep how long

Your eyes move around quickly behind your eyelids and your brainwaves look similar to those of someone who is awake. Your breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure rise to near-waking levels. REM sleep, often referred to as stage 5, is when you are most likely to dream.

Your arms and legs become temporarily paralyzed during this stage to prevent you from physically acting out your dreams. In healthy adults, about 13 to 23 percent of your sleep is deep sleep. However, as you get older you require less deep sleep. Without deep sleep, these functions cannot take place and the symptoms of sleep deprivation kick in.

Experts believe that dreaming helps you process emotions and solidify certain memories. For most adults, REM takes up about 20 to 25 percent of sleep, and this seems to be healthy during average sleep cycles. However, sleep research is raising some interesting questions. One recent study suggested that higher amounts of REM sleep may be associated with depression. Although sleep scientists believe that light sleep is good for you, there is no minimum to strive for. Light sleep is usually the default stage, one that is nearly impossible to avoid if you are asleep at all.

Too much overall sleep on a regular basis, however, is linked to obesity , depression, pain, heart disease, and even increased risk of death.

Babies and children need more sleep than adults. Babies need the most, spending about 16 of every 24 hours asleep. Approximately 50 percent of their slumber is spent in the REM stage, while the other 50 percent is divided between stages 1 through 4 and NREM sleep that cycles between light and deep.

These include:. Although the science is still new, a number of sleep trackers are available that may help you track your sleep patterns and see how much light, REM, and deep sleep you are getting. A sleep study may help you figure out what is going on. Scientists say that quality sleep is as important to health as food and water are. Learn how we develop our content. To learn more about Healthwise, visit Healthwise.

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You are here Home » Stages of Sleep. Top of the page. It involves light sleep from which you can be awakened easily. Stage N2 lasts from about 30 to 60 minutes. During this stage, your muscles become more relaxed and you may begin to have slow-wave delta brain activity. Stage N3 is deep sleep and lasts about 20 to 40 minutes.

Everyone dreams. You spend about 2 hours each night dreaming but may not remember most of your dreams. Events from the day often invade your thoughts during sleep, and people suffering from stress or anxiety are more likely to have frightening dreams. Dreams can be experienced in all stages of sleep but usually are most vivid in REM sleep. Some people dream in color, while others only recall dreams in black and white.

Clusters of sleep-promoting neurons in many parts of the brain become more active as we get ready for bed. GABA is associated with sleep, muscle relaxation, and sedation. Norepinephrine and orexin also called hypocretin keep some parts of the brain active while we are awake. Other neurotransmitters that shape sleep and wakefulness include acetylcholine, histamine, adrenaline, cortisol, and serotonin.

Genes may play a significant role in how much sleep we need. Scientists have identified several genes involved with sleep and sleep disorders, including genes that control the excitability of neurons, and "clock" genes such as Per , tim , and Cry that influence our circadian rhythms and the timing of sleep.

Genome-wide association studies have identified sites on various chromosomes that increase our susceptibility to sleep disorders. Also, different genes have been identified with such sleep disorders as familial advanced sleep-phase disorder, narcolepsy, and restless legs syndrome. Some of the genes expressed in the cerebral cortex and other brain areas change their level of expression between sleep and wake.

Several genetic models—including the worm, fruit fly, and zebrafish—are helping scientists to identify molecular mechanisms and genetic variants involved in normal sleep and sleep disorders. Additional research will provide better understand of inherited sleep patterns and risks of circadian and sleep disorders. Your health care provider may recommend a polysomnogram or other test to diagnose a sleep disorder.

A polysomnogram typically involves spending the night at a sleep lab or sleep center. It records your breathing, oxygen levels, eye and limb movements, heart rate, and brain waves throughout the night. Your sleep is also video and audio recorded. The data can help a sleep specialist determine if you are reaching and proceeding properly through the various sleep stages.

Results may be used to develop a treatment plan or determine if further tests are needed. Millions of people are using smartphone apps, bedside monitors, and wearable items including bracelets, smart watches, and headbands to informally collect and analyze data about their sleep.

Smart technology can record sounds and movement during sleep, journal hours slept, and monitor heart beat and respiration. Using a companion app, data from some devices can be synced to a smartphone or tablet, or uploaded to a PC. Other apps and devices make white noise, produce light that stimulates melatonin production, and use gentle vibrations to help us sleep and wake. See a doctor if you have a problem sleeping or if you feel unusually tired during the day.

Most sleep disorders can be treated effectively. Scientists continue to learn about the function and regulation of sleep. A key focus of research is to understand the risks involved with being chronically sleep deprived and the relationship between sleep and disease.

People who are chronically sleep deprived are more likely to be overweight, have strokes and cardiovascular disease, infections, and certain types of cancer than those who get enough sleep. Many mysteries remain about the association between sleep and these health problems. Does the lack of sleep lead to certain disorders, or do certain diseases cause a lack of sleep?