Rem sleep

REM Sleep

Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep is a unique phase of sleep in mammals and birds, distinguishable by random/rapid movement of the eyes, accompanied with low muscle tone throughout the body, and the propensity of the sleeper to dream vividly.

Overview

The REM phase in sleep is the portion of sleep when there are dreams and eye movement. It is characterized by the rapid and random movement of the eyes. REM sleep is classified into two categories: tonic and phasic. It may include other features such as changes in heart rate and muscle paralysis.

Physiology

During REM sleep, electrical connectivity among different parts of the brain manifests differently than during wakefulness. Research suggests that REM sleep features a shift towards Thalamocortical system dominance.

Function

The function of REM sleep is not well understood. However, several theories have been proposed, including that REM sleep aids in brain development, contributes to memory consolidation, and assists in emotion regulation.

In other animals

REM sleep has been observed in all mammals studied, including monkeys, dogs, cats, rats, elephants, and opossums. It has also been observed in birds.

See also

• Sleep
• Non-rapid eye movement sleep
• Sleep disorder
• Sleep paralysis
• Dream

References

Rem sleep Resources
Need Help Finding a Doctor? Need help finding a doctor or specialist anywhere in the world? Explore our world directory. WikiMD's DocFinder can assist you in locating millions of physicians.	Medical Knowledge Access the latest research - Most recent articles Ongoing trials.

Translate to: East Asian 中文, 日本, 한국어, South Asian हिन्दी, Urdu, বাংলা, తెలుగు, தமிழ், ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, မြန်မာဘာသာ, European español, Deutsch, français, русский, português do Brasil, Italian, polski