Key to REM Sleep?

[MolecularMan14]

Is there any one key to ensuring good REM sleep every night? Could there be a switch or receptor that could be activated to ensure REM sleep?

I love to have a good night's sleep, but lately Ive been missing a lot of sleep for homwork. However if I get about 5 hours of good REM sleep then I feel perfectly refreshed. Is there any way of ensuring a good nights sleep??

[LucidDreamer]

I don't think there is any one thing that can guarantee a good nights sleep because there are several possible things that might interfere with sleep. There are several things that can help you get a good nights sleep including:

 

1 don’t drink caffeine several hours before going to bed

2 exercise, but not right before bed

3 healthy diet

4 don't lounge around on your bed unless you’re going to sleep

5 don't stress yourself out too much

6 keep a regular sleep schedule

 

These things should work for both getting to sleep and getting quality REM sleep.

[MolecularMan14]

Thats not exactly what I meant. But thanks tho

I was wondering if there was a receptor in the brain that controlled REM sleep. And if there is any way of stimulating that receptor to garuntee REM sleep.

[coquina]

In my case it would be "kill the cat", he's 19 years old, but I think he has feline alzheimers. He wakes up in the middle of the night and forgets he's already eaten.

[Douglas]

Is there any one key to ensuring good REM sleep every night? Could there be a switch or receptor that could be activated to ensure REM sleep?

I love to have a good night's sleep' date=' but lately Ive been missing a lot of sleep for homwork. However if I get about 5 hours of good REM sleep then I feel perfectly refreshed. Is there any way of ensuring a good nights sleep??[/quote']

If you're under a lot of pressure, it could be a "general anxiety disorder" (GAD)

[LucidDreamer]

Thats not exactly what I meant. But thanks tho

I was wondering if there was a receptor in the brain that controlled REM sleep. And if there is any way of stimulating that receptor to garuntee REM sleep.

 

Yes, there are receptors in the brain that induce sleep. These receptors are activated by neurotransmitters. The way your body is designed these receptors cannot be activated unless in they are exposed to their specific neurotransmitter or a drug that has a similar effect. The other way to activate them is to create an environment where your body will naturally activate them by its own mechanisms. This is the preferable way to get the results you want. My first post listed some of these methods.

 

An important hormone for sleep is melatonin. You can buy melatonin from any drugstore and it does help you to sleep. It is relatively safe, but I wouldn't advise taking any drug for sleep unless you have a real problem sleeping. It wouldn't be worth the risk. The prescribed amounts on the melatonin bottles are too much anyway.

 

You might try milk because it has L-tryptophan, which is an amino acid that is turned into serotonin. Sorotonin has a relaxing effect and it can induce sleep.

 

The only other thing I can suggest is to try brain entrainment. I downloaded a free one called brain wave generator. Chances are that it won't do much, but be careful with this as well because it might have strange effects, depending on your individual brain chemistry

[Douglas]

You might try milk because it has L-tryptophan, which is an amino acid that is turned into serotonin. Sorotonin has a relaxing effect and it can induce sleep.

LucidDreamer, I've heard numerous people say "to drink milk", actually, I think they say "warm milk". It certainly seems to work for them. Also, a friend of mine say's Melatonin works great.

Anyway, you seem to know what you're talking about.

How about the SSRI's (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) given as a tranquilizer and for sleep.

Are they similar to milk ?

[LucidDreamer]

LucidDreamer' date=' I've heard numerous people say "to drink milk", actually, I think they say "warm milk". It certainly seems to work for them. Also, a friend of mine say's Melatonin works great.

Anyway, you seem to know what you're talking about.

How about the SSRI's (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) given as a tranquilizer and for sleep.

Are they similar to milk ?[/quote']

 

Yes, the SSRIs have a similar effect on sleep, at least once you get used to them. They are usually not used as a fast working sleep-aid, like Valium or xanax, because it takes a week or so for them to start working. SSRIs don't actually produce more serotonin but they prevent its removal from the synapses between nerves, which means that your brain is more exposed to the effects of serotonin. Also, doctors often prescribe tricyclic anti-depressants to help in sleep as well.

 

I'm no Doctor, but I think drugs should always be the last resort for a long-term sleep problem.

[MolecularMan14]

If you're under a lot of pressure, it could be a "general anxiety disorder" (GAD)

lol, its not that Im under stress from the home work, its just that there's so much of it that it takes forever (sometimes into the night) to finish it.

[MolecularMan14]

I gotta agree with Lucid Dreamer on that one. Drugs will definitely be my last resort.

[tinyboy21]

Your central circadian clock may be off, but I doubt it. What kind of light do you sleep in?

[MolecularMan14]

No light. Yea I doubt my internal clock is off. lol, just a lack of sleep

[Frostrunner]

it should be noted that any depressant that is used for sleep can within a short period of time become addictive. Getting REM sleep is a matter of the time you sleep I forget the specifics it has been a few years but here it goes. During sleep you have two groups of neurotransmitters involved. (need to look up) One set controls physical sleeping. The other set controls mental awakeness, this set include serotonin (5-HT). During REM sleep the serotonin and others in the mental group raise back to awake and even beyond awake levels. That is how you dream. Some parts of your brain are actually more awake during REM than during an awake state. All while the other set of neurotransmitters and still at low levels. They are still trying to tease out how it is triggered, but if memory serves me right the first hour or two is rest state (all systems down), then REM on/off/on ect. for about 3 hours, rest then sometimes REM again.

 

Some points to note:

--don't mess with SSRI's unless you absolutely have to There are too many types of Serotonin receptors to try it to sleep well.

 

--a cat nap is just restful sleep

 

-- without REM/dreaming you will go insain (sad study done to someone a long time ago before Experimental Review Boards)

 

-- for less than 8 hours of sleep drugs are bad because that is how you get your circadiums off

 

I found that what can make me feel really rested if I am wound really tight is just half- to a whole beer (alcohol=slight depressant) often it only take a couple sips when tired.

[MadScientist]

I'm surprised that no ones mentioned hypnosis, I have one for speed reading which gets me to sleep really easily.

 

Isn't whale song supposed to be good too or a gentle rythmic thud thud of a hearbeat.

 

Or try counting sheep but how many can you fit into your bedroom?? You'd need a quite few to bore yourself to sleep.

[Sorcerer]

One night I counted to 40,000 then it was morning....... too many damn sheep in New Zealand.

[MadScientist]

One night I counted to 40,000 then it was morning....... too many damn sheep in New Zealand.

 

So many sheep, so little time.

[MolecularMan14]

lmao. I once was in what is known as a "Lock in", where you and your friends are locked in a computing center, for days, taking on challenges online, and against eachother. I didnt sleep once. (then again, they had Bawls vending machines everywhere- and if you kno anything about Bawls Guarana, you know what kinda caffeinetrip you go on)

[Kindria2000]

I thought that REM sleep actually made you tiered... But then again this isnt my field and I'm stupid so away I go.... DEATH TO THE GERBILS!!!!

[iglak]

when you sleep, your mind goes through 5 stages in 90 minute cycles (it's different for everyone, but the average is about 90 minutes). in the first cycle, REM (2nd stage) takes up the most time (about 70%, or something). in subsequent stages, REM sleep takes up less time, and heavy/deep sleep (non-REM, stages 4 & 5) starts taking more. if you want to get the most out of your sleep, you should wake up about 60 minutes after you last cycle (90 * x + 60 minutes after you fall asleep). and to go to sleep easier and get more rest, you should also excercise about 4-6 hours before you plan on falling asleep (it takes about that much time for your body to feel the effects of exercise).

[[Tycho?]]

I always tend to have to get up while in the midst of a very deep sleep (usually after quite a while of tossing and turning) and so I am usually quite tired in the morning.

[Silencer]

My brother was just recently diagnosed with a sleep disorder (multiple ones, I think). The jury is still out on whether he may have narcilepsy. I remember something about his amount of REM sleep. I think it was that he wasn't getting enough, if any, which is why he sleeps so much and can barely get up in the morning. If Frostrunner is right about not getting REM sleep making you go insane, then that explains a lot about my brother (heh.)

 

So yeah, any comments?

[Peels]

Why only worry about REM sleep loss? If you have sleep deprivation, you may need more NREM sleep recovery. That is why NREM sleep normally coming first for adults.

[Auk]

I can only remeber one night this year when I was extremely stressed out and it affected my sleep. I always sleep well except for the fact that sometimes my pillow dosen't have enough fluff and in the morning ive got a shoulder cramp.

[Coral Rhedd]

In my case it would be "kill the cat", he's 19 years old, but I think he has feline alzheimers. He wakes up in the middle of the night and forgets he's already eaten.

 

Hi Sandi,

 

In the summer I was taking Valerian to help me sleep but my hyperactive dog kept waking me up because the windows were open and the sound of other dogs in the neighborhood excited him. I stopped taking the Valerian and gave it to the dog instead. Worked like a charm.

 

Don't know about cats though.

[5614]

what is the difference between REM and normal sleep.... like i know what REM is, but say when you say "im tired i need to sleep" if person A had 5 hours REM sleep only and person B had 5 hours or non-REM sleep... when they woke up how would they feel in comparison to each other?