Random muscle contractions improve blood flow to the brain, and an increased heart rate characterizes rapid eye movement (REM). According to the National Sleep Foundation, most people experience REM sleep nightly. As a result, it's believed that dreaming occurs during this stage of sleep. However, some factors can disrupt your ability to achieve REM sleep and prevent you from having dreams.
REM is a sleep stage characterized by rapid-eye movement, low muscle tone, and significant brain activity, which makes dream sleep different from other stages of sleep. Dreams typically occur during REM sleep.
Occurrence of REM during Wakefulness
Some researchers believe that dreams occur during REM sleep. This means that dreaming is a state of consciousness, not a state of sleep. This theory is supported by the fact that many people awakened during REM report having dreamed, even if they have no memory of it upon awakening.
In addition, the brain's electrical activity during REM sleep is similar to that observed during dreaming. The brain waves associated with dreaming are "spindles" or "sharp-wave ripples." These waves can be detected in the hippocampus and other brain parts when awake but not sleeping (conscious).
The Theory of the Labyrinthine Brain
The theory of the labyrinthine brain (also known as the cerebellar model) was developed by a neurologist who proposed that REM sleep evolved to restructure the brain and stabilize memory. According to this theory, during REM sleep, the brain is "replaying" the previous day's events to consolidate them into long-term memory.
This theory was supported by studies showing that lesions in certain brain areas caused a loss of dreaming ability but not a loss of sleep cycles. However, this theory has been questioned due to evidence suggesting that many animals engage in REM sleep without having advanced cognitive abilities such as language or planning as humans do.
Causes of Awake REM Sleep
REM sleep is a unique phase in which we experience vivid and intense dreams. It is also characterized by random and rapid eye movements, irregular breathing patterns, muscle atonia (muscle paralysis), increased heart rate and blood pressure, increased body temperature, and brain activity similar to that observed during wakefulness.
The term REM sleep was derived from the Latin word "rapidus," meaning "rapid," because these features resemble wakefulness more than other sleep phases. However, in some cases, REM sleep can also occur during an awake state.
The exact cause behind this phenomenon is not known yet. Still, there are several hypotheses explaining it, which are listed below:
Hyperpolarization of neurons occurring during the REM state may result in random firing of neurons leading to dream-like experiences;
Increased acetylcholine levels during the REM state may induce dreaming;
Reduction in serotonin levels during the REM state may result in dreaming;
Increasing histamine levels during the REM state may result in dream-like experiences.
Treating Awake REM Sleep
A new treatment for people with sleep paralysis called Rapid Eye Movement (REM) During the Awake State (REMDAWS) has been developed by scientists at the University of Maryland's School of Medicine.
Sleep paralysis occurs when you are awake but feel paralyzed and unable to move. This can be frightening, leading some people to believe they have an out-of-body experience.
The new treatment involves treating patients with mild sleep paralysis during REM sleep with electrical stimulation of the muscles controlling eye movement, which may prevent them from experiencing paralyzing sensations during these episodes.
Diagnosing Awake REM Sleep
The diagnosis of awake REM sleep is made based on history, physical examination, and polysomnography. Patients are asked about their history of sleep disorders, which include the following:
Frequent awakening from sleep at night
Sleep apnea (breathing pauses during sleep)
Narcolepsy (inability to stay awake)
Restless leg syndrome (an urge to move the legs to relieve discomfort or pain)
Snoring or breathing pauses while sleeping.
The Differences Between Awake and Sleep REM
Rapid Eye Movement (REM) during the awake state is a very unusual phenomenon. It is a unique feature of sleep that has been studied for decades, but we still do not understand why it happens.
There are two types of REM: in one type, your eyes move back and forth quickly, and you cannot feel your body; in the other, your eyes move slowly from side to side, and you can feel your body. These two types of REM alternate with each other during sleep.
When you dream, you enter REM sleep, which is called paradoxical sleep because it is similar to wakefulness even though you are asleep. This period can occur several times throughout the night, lasting between 20-25 minutes each time.
The Consequences of Wake REM
Rapid eye movement (REM) during the awake state is a phenomenon that many people have reported. The most common description is a dream-like scenario where the person experiences rapid eye movement and a sense of dreaming while they are conscious. This can happen during the day, although it's more common at night when we sleep.
There are two main theories about why this happens:
The first theory suggests that REM occurs due to a release of certain chemicals in the brain during sleep. These chemicals are released after we've had enough sleep and are ready to wake up; however, sometimes, these chemicals may be released while awake. This will cause our eyes to move rapidly and give us a REM-like experience that can feel very real.
The second theory suggests that REM occurs because our brains aren't fully asleep yet - despite how close they appear to be asleep - so they're still processing information and dreaming about what's happening around us or in our environment at that time.
Takeaway
The path to better sleep does not need to be a winding road paved with frustration and exhaustion. If you consider the information presented in this article, hopefully, you can find the solution that works for you.
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