Question

Can someone explain REM rebound to me? For example, is it true that after 5 hours or so, we enter our longest REM period? Can you also include a somnogram sketch to illustrate? Thanks!

Answer 1

REM rebound is the lengthening and increasing frequency and depth of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep which occurs after periods of sleep deprivation. When people have been prevented from experiencing REM, they take less time than usual to attain the REM state.When people are unable to obtain an adequate amount of REM sleep, the pressure to obtain REM sleep builds up. When the subject is able to sleep, they will spend a higher percentage of the night in REM sleep.

REM sleep rebound is identified as the increase of Stage R sleep above normal (or baseline) levels after a period of sleep restriction or deprivation. In other words, it's a phenomenon in which there is an increase in REM sleep after a night of little REM sleep. Generally a 20% increase in REM sleep duration has been proposed as a threshold to identify REM rebound in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) who start PAP treatment.