Have you ever woken up after a full night’s sleep but still felt exhausted?
This can be a pretty good sign that you may not be getting enough REM sleep, the sleep stage that is super crucial for mental and emotional restoration.
REM (rapid eye movement) sleep is a critical part of your sleep cycle that affects everything from your memory to your mood.
However, factors like stress, poor sleep hygiene, or a sleep disorder like sleep apnea can reduce the amount of time you might spend in REM sleep, leaving you feeling out of sorts.
In this article, we'll explore what REM sleep is, how much you need, and the tips to get more REM sleep for better overall well-being.
What is REM Sleep and Its Importance
During sleep, we cycle between 2 important types of sleep: rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep.
REM is the stage of the sleep cycle where your brain becomes highly active, similar to when you're awake. This is also usually the time you experience dreams.
REM sleep is thought to play a vital role in memory consolidation, learning, and emotional regulation.
Unfortunately, sleep deprivation or disorders like sleep apnea can suppress REM sleep, leading to poor sleep quality and symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, and poor cognitive function. (1)
How Much REM Sleep Do You Need?
Adults typically should get around 7-9 hours of sleep per night, and 20-25% of that time should be spent in REM sleep. So that means you need around 2 hours of REM sleep each night.
If you’re not getting enough, you may experience a phenomenon known as REM rebound, where your body attempts to make up for lost REM sleep by spending more time in this sleep stage during subsequent nights.
Factors like a disrupted sleep schedule, obstructive sleep apnea, or stress can affect how much REM sleep you get.
How to Know if You’re Getting Enough REM Sleep
Signs that you're not getting enough REM sleep can include poor memory retention, difficulty concentrating, and struggling to manage your emotions.
You might also feel tired even after a full night of sleep. Tracking devices and apps that monitor your sleep cycle can help determine if you are spending enough time in REM.
If you experience frequent awakenings during the night, particularly in the early morning when REM sleep is most prominent, it could be a sign that your REM sleep is being interrupted.
Additionally, people who experience sleep disorders such as REM sleep behavior disorder or sleep apnea may find their REM sleep consistently disrupted, resulting in a lack of the deep mental restoration that comes from this stage of sleep. (2)
Solutions to Increase REM Sleep
To get more REM sleep, you'll need to focus on improving overall sleep quality. Simple changes to your lifestyle and sleep habits can make a big difference in how much REM sleep you experience each night! Let’s take a look:
1. Mouth Tape
One of the most effective ways to improve your REM sleep is by using mouth tape.
This is because keeping your mouth closed while sleeping encourages nasal breathing, which helps to activate your parasympathetic nervous system for deeper relaxation, as well as prevent snoring and other interruptions in your sleep cycle. (3) (4)
Using mouth tape can be especially helpful for individuals with mild sleep apnea, as it reduces airflow issues that might interfere with REM sleep. Learn more here about the amazing benefits of mouth taping for sleep and the best mouth tape for sleeping.
For the best results, it’s essential to choose a high-quality mouth tape such as Dream Recovery that’s both gentle on the skin, yet strong enough to stay on throughout the night without the need for readjustments.
Dream Recovery Mouth Tape is loved by thousands of happy customers thanks to its breathable organic bamboo silk material, hypoallergenic adhesive, and innovative design options.
Try Dream Recovery Mouth Tape for the deepest sleep of your life.
2. Maintain a consistent sleep schedule
Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day helps to regulate your body's internal clock, known as the circadian rhythm.
So, having a consistent sleep schedule and bedtime routine can help to ensure that you progress smoothly through all stages of sleep, including REM.
3. Reduce alcohol and caffeine intake
Both alcohol and caffeine can interfere with your REM sleep in different ways. While alcohol might help you fall asleep faster, it actually reduces the amount of time you spend in REM. (5)
On the other hand, caffeine stimulates the nervous system and can block the onset of REM sleep, even if you’ve consumed it several hours before bedtime. (6)
That means it’s always best to avoid alcohol in the evenings and stop your caffeine intake by around 1-2 pm.
4. Improve your sleep hygiene
Good sleep hygiene involves creating a conducive environment for really good quality rest and adopting healthy bedtime habits.
This can include:
- Minimizing your exposure to blue light from screens for at least an hour before bed
- Keeping your bedroom dark and cool
- Avoiding large meals before bedtime
By practicing all of these sleep hygiene habits, you can reap the benefits of enhancing both NREM and REM sleep.
5. Practice relaxation techniques
It’s no surprise that stress and anxiety can significantly reduce the amount of REM sleep you get. (7)
Since so many of us are struggling with the pressures of daily life, adding in relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, or yoga before bed can really help calm your mind and prepare your body for a night of less interrupted sleep.
A simple breathwork practice you can try tonight is called the 4-7-8 technique, here’s how to perform it:
- Inhale for 4 seconds
- Hold your breath for 7 seconds
- Exhale for 8 seconds
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Repeat this cycle at least 4 times
6. Use a weighted blanket
A weighted blanket can help reduce anxiety and promote deeper, more restful sleep. It’s thought that these blankets provide “deep pressure stimulation” which can help to calm your nervous system by mimicking being held.
Weighted blankets are particularly effective for people with stress-related sleep disturbances.
By applying gentle pressure to your body, it can reduce, anxiety, improve your overall sleep quality and help you spend more time in REM. (8)
7. Exercise regularly
Regular physical activity has been shown to improve the time spent in REM sleep. This is because exercise seems to increase both the duration of our sleep and its quality, which allows your body to spend more time in the REM stage.
However, it’s best to avoid very vigorous workouts close to bedtime, as they can increase alertness and make it harder to fall asleep.
8. Manage sleep apnea
For those with sleep apnea, using a CPAP machine or other CPAP alternatives can help keep airways open and ensure that you get more uninterrupted REM sleep.
Sleep apnea can reduce the time spent in REM sleep, but managing the condition with appropriate tools like a CPAP machine and the best mouth tape for sleep apnea can help improve the health of your sleep cycle.
9. Limit napping
While short naps during the day can feel refreshing for some people, long naps or naps very late in the day can interfere with your ability to fall asleep at night and disrupt your natural sleep cycle.
If you struggle with getting enough REM sleep at night, try to limit naps to 20-30 minutes and avoid napping too close to bedtime.
FAQ
What are the symptoms of lack of REM sleep?
The symptoms of a lack of REM sleep include daytime fatigue, reduced cognitive function, memory issues, and poor mental health.
How can I increase my REM sleep naturally?
You can increase your REM sleep naturally by using mouth tape, managing your stress levels, improving your sleep hygiene, avoiding alcohol and caffeine in the evenings, and maintaining a consistent sleep schedule.
Why is my REM sleep so low?
Your REM sleep might be low because you’re struggling with stress, don’t stick to a consistent sleep schedule, or you have a sleep disorder like sleep apnea.
Final Thoughts
Incorporating healthy sleep habits and addressing any underlying issues, like stress or sleep apnea, can significantly improve your REM sleep, leading to better mental and emotional restoration. Small changes, such as maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, using mouth tape, and reducing caffeine and alcohol intake, can help you experience more quality REM sleep. By prioritizing sleep hygiene and relaxation techniques, you’ll not only boost your REM sleep but also enhance your overall well-being, leaving you feeling more rested and mentally sharp.
References:
- Feriante J, Araujo JF. Physiology, REM Sleep. [Updated 2023 Feb 13]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK531454/
- Crișan, C. A., Milhem, Z., Stretea, R., Țața, I. M., Cherecheș, R. M., & Micluția, I. V. (2023). A Narrative Review on REM Sleep Deprivation: A Promising Non-Pharmaceutical Alternative for Treating Endogenous Depression. Journal of personalized medicine, 13(2), 306. https://doi.org/10.3390/jpm13020306
- Lee, Y. C., Lu, C. T., Cheng, W. N., & Li, H. Y. (2022). The Impact of Mouth-Taping in Mouth-Breathers with Mild Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Preliminary Study. Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland), 10(9), 1755. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare10091755
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Watso, J. C., Cuba, J. N., Boutwell, S. L., Moss, J. E., Bowerfind, A. K., Fernandez, I. M., Cassette, J. M., May, A. M., & Kirk, K. F. (2023). Acute nasal breathing lowers diastolic blood pressure and increases parasympathetic contributions to heart rate variability in young adults. American journal of physiology. Regulatory, integrative and comparative physiology, 325(6), R797–R808. https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpregu.00148.2023
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He, S., Hasler, B. P., & Chakravorty, S. (2019). Alcohol and sleep-related problems. Current opinion in psychology, 30, 117–122. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2019.03.007
- Gardiner, C., Weakley, J., Burke, L. M., Roach, G. D., Sargent, C., Maniar, N., Townshend, A., & Halson, S. L. (2023). The effect of caffeine on subsequent sleep: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sleep medicine reviews, 69, 101764. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2023.101764
- Kim, E. J., & Dimsdale, J. E. (2007). The effect of psychosocial stress on sleep: a review of polysomnographic evidence. Behavioral sleep medicine, 5(4), 256–278. https://doi.org/10.1080/15402000701557383
- Yu, J., Yang, Z., Sun, S., Sun, K., Chen, W., Zhang, L., Xu, J., Xu, Q., Liu, Z., Ke, J., Zhang, L., & Zhu, Y. (2024). The effect of weighted blankets on sleep and related disorders: a brief review. Frontiers in psychiatry, 15, 1333015. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1333015