Rapid Eye Movement sleep
A lot happens in your body while you sleep. When you get your ZZZs, you cycle between REM and non-REM sleep. REM stands for rapid eye movement. During REM sleep, your eyes move around rapidly in a range of directions, but don't send any visual information to your brain.That doesn't happen during non-REM sleep. First comes non-REM sleep, followed by a shorter period of REM sleep, and then the cycle starts over again. Dreams typically happen during REM sleep. What Happens During Non-REM Sleep? There are three phases of non-REM sleep. Each stage can last from 5 to 15 minutes. You go through all three phases before reaching REM sleep. Stage 1: Your eyes are closed, but it's easy to wake you up. This phase may last for 5 to 10 minutes. Stage 2: You are in light sleep. Your heart rate slows and your body temperature drops. Your body is getting ready for deep sleep. This can last for 10-25 minutes. Stages 3: This is the deep sleep stage. It's harder to rouse you during this s...