The REM sleep stage is preceded by three stages of Non-Rapid Eye Movement (NREM). During NREM sleep, your brainwaves are much slower than during the REM sleep stage. In this section, we discuss the changes in the body and brain during the three stages of NREM sleep and why they are critical for a good night’s sleep
What did REM stand for?
REM stands for Rapid Eye Movement and REM sleep is the final stage of sleep in every sleep cycle. While sleeping we experience four stages of NREM sleep followed by the REM sleep stage. REM sleep, like all other sleep stages, is crucial to our health. It is usually experienced at the end of each sleep cycle.
Each sleep cycle typically lasts for 90 to 120 minutes. Every healthy adult needs four to five such sleep cycles, adding up to 7-8 hours of sleep each night. Sleep deprivation causes a lack of concentration and daytime drowsiness, affecting our productivity the next morning.