REM Sleep

Today we know our brains are very active during sleep, that sleep affects our daily functioning and our physical and mental health. Neurotransmitters or nerve-signaling chemicals control how we are awake or asleep by acting on different nerve cells, or neurons, in the brain. A chemical, adenosine also builds up in our blood stream while we are awake and causes drowsiness. Adenosine gradually breaks down while we are asleep.

While we sleep we pass through five phases of sleep; 1, 2, 3, 4, and REM. REM means rapid eye movement. 50 percent of our sleep is in stage 2, about 20 percent in REM sleep and the remaining 30 percent in the other stages.

Stage 1 which is the light sleep where we drift in and out of sleep and can wake easily. Our eyes move very slowly and muscle activity slows down.

Stage 2 our eye movements stop and our brain waves become slower with occasional bursts or rapid waves called sleep spindles.

Stage 3 we experience very slow brain waves called delta waves which appear, interspersed with smaller, faster waves.

Stage 4 our brain produces delta waves almost exclusively and it is very hard to wake someone. This is also known as deep sleep because there is no eye movement or muscle activity.

REM sleep, our breathing becomes more rapid, our eyes move rapidly in various directions and our limb muscles become temporarily paralyzed. Our heart rate increases, our blood pressure rises and if we are awaken, we often remember our REM sleep dreams.

Since sleep and being wake are affected by different neurotransmitter signals in the brain, foods and medicines can alter the balance of these signals and have an effect on how well we sleep. Caffeinated drinks, diet pills and decongestants stimulate some parts of the brain and can cause REM sleep disorder such as insomnia, or an inability to sleep. Many antidepressants suppress REM sleep and cause REM sleep deprivation.

Alcohol will help people fall asleep, but they fall into stage 1 and are robbed of the other stages and will also have no REM sleep. Alcohol abuse can also cause REM sleep behavior disorder which is characterized by the acting out of dreams that are vivid, intense, and violent. Dream-enacting behaviors include talking, yelling, punching, kicking, sitting, jumping from bed, arm flailing, and grabbing.

Non REM sleep one night and our brain will try to catch up with this stage the next time we fall asleep causing us to go through extended periods of REM sleep. This causes us to be restless the next day because we lost stages 3 and 4, the deep sleep cycles.

When you are under anesthesia or in a coma it is often said you are asleep, but under these conditions you cannot be awakened and you do not produce complex, active brain wave patterns seen in normal sleep.

Sleep and sleep-related disorders can create medical problems such as; stroke, diabetes, obesity, perhaps due to changes in our hormones, heart rate, and other traits associated with sleep. Once sleeping problems develop, they can add to a person's impairment and cause confusion, frustration, or depression. If you feel you have these sleep disorder symptoms see your doctor to talk about available treatments. In the meantime follow these tips for a better night sleep;

• improving your daytime habits
• creating a better sleep environment
• avoiding food and drink that might interfere with sleep
• developing a good bedtime routine

Studies have shown that better REM sleep helps boost your mood during the day. How can you get more REM sleep? One simple way is to try to sleep a little more in the morning. As your sleep cycles through the night, it starts with longer periods of deep sleep. By the morning, the REM sleep stage is longer. Try sleeping an extra half hour to hour and see if your mood improves.

Good Evening,
Rose Sheepskill