• Question: Why is it important to have enough REM sleep

    Asked by queen to David, Eva, Kate, Nicholas, Rachel on 12 Nov 2015.
    • Photo: Nicholas Pearce

      Nicholas Pearce answered on 12 Nov 2015:

      Hey,

      The world record for going without sleep is over 11 days! Studies have shown that REM sleep is important though. Without it you’ll feel very irritated and anxious and even see things that aren’t there. You might evenget aggressive and depressed.
      Here’s a great video that explains what would happen if you stopped sleeping:

    • Photo: David Nunan

      David Nunan answered on 12 Nov 2015:

      Hi queen,

      This is a question that comes up a lot in my work because sleep is very much linked to our health. In fact lack of sleep has been linked to heart disease, heart attacks, stroke, diabetes as well as mental disorders. According to some estimates, 90% of people have a sleep disorder which means their not getting enough REM sleep.

      REM sleep is when you do most of your dreaming and usually happens 70 to 90 minutes after you fall asleep. Here’s a nice infographic all about sleep and how important it is:

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