The Adverse Effects of REM Sleep Deprivation
A comprehensive study conducted by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke has revealed the detrimental consequences of insufficient REM sleep. This research demonstrates that when rats are deprived of adequate REM sleep, their lifespan is dramatically reduced from two or three years to a mere five weeks. Similarly, in humans, a deficiency in REM sleep can result in various negative effects, including fatigue, fluctuations in weight, clumsiness, and impaired brain function.
Physiological Changes during REM Sleep
REM sleep, also known as rapid eye movement sleep, is a phase of sleep where various physiological changes occur. One of these changes is an increase in both blood pressure and heart rate, which is in contrast to other sleep phases where these values decrease. This phenomenon is believed to be a response to dreaming.
REM sleep is often referred to as “paradoxical sleep” because it is characterized by the simultaneous arousal of certain systems while the muscular skeleton and limbs are temporarily paralyzed. This unique combination of physiological changes during REM sleep distinguishes it from other sleep stages.