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Page 2
Over the course of an evening, we complete 4 to 5 cycles of sleep stages. Most of our slow wave sleep takes place early in the evening. As the night progresses, we spend less time in non-REM sleep and more time in REM sleep. The first REM period may last five to ten minutes, but the last may be 30 minutes or more in length.
It's a simple question, but with few definitive answers. We know that REM sleep is a biological necessity. When we deprive people of REM sleep, by waking them whenever they enter it, they demonstrate a REM rebound, or they spend more time in REM sleep when allowed to return to it. We also know that newborns spend half of their sleeping time in REM sleep, and the amount of REM sleep that we engage in decreases with age. While the exact function of REM sleep is unknown, there is some evidence that it is important for consolidating memory (or forming permanent memories). Go To Page: 1 2
The copyright of the article Sleep Stages - Page 2 in Developmental Psychology is owned by Tara Kuther. Permission to republish Sleep Stages - Page 2 in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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