What is REM sleep? Tips to improve it
REM sleep is a vital part of your sleep cycle. Every person goes through several sleep stages during the night, and REM sleep is one of them.
Many people mistakenly believe that REM sleep is the same as deep sleep, but that’s not true. It actually follows deep sleep and is also known as the dream phase, because this is when most dreaming occurs and your brain becomes very active.
Your eyes move rapidly back and forth during this stage, which is why it’s called REM sleep, REM stands for Rapid Eye Movement.
The different stages of sleep explained
When you fall asleep, you start in a light and shallow sleep. Brain activity slows down, but your body does not yet begin to recover during this phase. If you wake up during this stage, you will likely not feel rested. Gradually, sleep becomes deeper. Your muscles relax, breathing and heart rate slow down, and physical recovery takes place. The final stage is REM sleep, where brain activity increases and a large amount of information processing happens.
One full sleep cycle lasts about 1.5 hours. During the night, your body goes through several of these cycles, usually four to five. People who sleep in may go through six sleep cycles, although the exact number can vary depending on the individual and the length of each cycle.
Why is REM sleep so important
While your body physically recovers mostly during deep sleep, REM sleep is essential for your brain. It plays a key role in memory, emotional balance, and mental health. During this phase, your brain processes impressions and clears out unnecessary information. That is why dreams can be vivid and emotional and are often easier to remember when you wake up.
Tips to improve REM sleep
Do you often wake up feeling tired, emotional, unable to concentrate, or like your head is full? This may be a sign that your sleep cycles are disrupted and your REM sleep is too short. In that case, it helps to follow tips that improve your overall sleep quality, which benefits all sleep phases.
Try to go to bed around the same time each day. Avoid watching TV or using your phone or computer in the hour before bed and try to reduce stress. Avoiding alcohol and caffeine can also contribute to better sleep.
A natural way to improve REM sleep
Looking to improve your sleep naturally, including REM sleep? DroomSap is especially suitable for people who wake up feeling tired, no matter how long they’ve slept. Not sleeping deeply enough or not completing full sleep cycles are often mentioned as reasons why people do not feel recovered, either physically or mentally.
The unique calming blend of herbs, combined with honey and a low dose of the antihistamine doxylamine, helps improve sleep from the very first night. As a result, you may feel more energetic, focused, and clear-headed during the day. Try it for yourself with our trial pack and experience what four nights of DroomSap can do for your sleep quality.
DroomSap trial pack
- Test sleep for 3 to 4 nights
- 15% discount on your next DroomSap order
- Makkelijk en goedkoop een test voor een goede nachtrust
How can we help you?
Sign up for the newsletter
