How much REM sleep do you need?

Key Points

• REM sleep helps with emotional regulation and brain development.
• The amount of REM sleep you need depends on age, lifestyle and biology.
• We can’t actively control how much REM sleep we get.

Curious about how much REM sleep you need? REM sleep is when we do most of our dreaming and consolidate our memories – and who doesn’t want more of that? Smartwatches and sleep trackers claim to estimate how much time you spend in each stage of sleep, including the highly coveted REM sleep. But are they legit?

Not necessarily. While some of them might be able to estimate overall sleep duration, they’re not great at telling you what sleep stage you’re in. The amount of REM sleep you clock each night isn’t something you can control, according to our sleep expert Dr Moira Junge, CEO of the Sleep Health Foundation, healthylife Advisory Board member and a registered practising Health Psychologist.

Her advice? Don’t overthink it.

How much REM sleep do you need by age?

How much sleep we need changes throughout our lives. In general, we get more sleep when we’re younger, which equates to more REM sleep.

The Sleep Health Foundation provides guidelines on how much sleep a healthy person should receive per night. It’s important to note that this is simply a guide, and exactly how much sleep you need will depend on your biology. For customised advice about your sleep habits, it’s best to speak with a healthcare professional.

• Newborns (0–3 months): 14–17 hours
• Infants (4–11 months): 12 to 15 hours
• Toddlers (1–2 years): 11 to 14 hours
• Preschoolers (3–5 years): 10 to 13 hours
• Children (6–13 years): 9 to 11 hours
• Teenagers (14–17 years): 8 to 10 hours
• Young adults and adults (18–64 years): 7 to 9 hours
• Older adults (65 years and above): 7 to 8 hours

The amount of REM sleep included within the times listed depends on age. For example, newborn babies spend about 50% of their total sleep time in REM. This figure decreases to 20–25% for adults.

Dr Moira notes that we can’t control how long we spend in each sleep cycle, so getting more REM sleep is not something we need to think about. If you see any numbers in relation to achieving a certain amount of REM sleep, chances are they’re based on normative data — the typical amount rather than the ideal.

“We don’t advise anyone to aim for ‘X amount’ of REM sleep,” Dr Moira explains. “When we talk about how much REM sleep a person gets, it’s based on data from the thousands or millions of people who have undertaken sleep studies. But we don’t talk about how much exactly we need.”

Sleep experts don’t specify how much REM sleep we need

What is REM sleep?

REM stands for rapid eye movement. It’s one of the four stages of sleep we go through every night, with each stage having its unique purpose and characteristics.

For example, REM sleep and deep sleep are two important stages. While REM is associated with dreaming and memory consolidation, deep sleep is crucial for physical restoration and repair.

During REM sleep, our eyes move rapidly behind our closed eyelids, our heart rates increase, breathing becomes irregular, and our muscles become more relaxed.

On average, we cycle through all four stages in about 90 minutes, allowing for four to six cycles each night. Studies show that most adults spend about a quarter of their total sleep time in REM, though this may change depending on their genetics and environment.

During REM sleep our brain is active but our body is relaxed 

What happens in REM sleep?

When we’re in REM sleep, our brains are busy.

“When you look at the brain waves of someone in REM, it looks similar to when they’re awake,” says Dr Moira.

Conversely, our bodies and muscles are almost completely relaxed.

“In sleep studies, we put electrodes between people’s eyes and under their chins and legs when they’re in REM sleep,” says Dr Moira. “While they pick up muscle movement at other sleep stages, during REM, the signals flatline. You’re completely floppy. You couldn’t move if you tried. It’s a great built-in mechanism so that you can’t act out your dreams.”

When it comes to dreaming, REM plays a big part in those weird, wacky adventures our brains take us through each night.

“REM is responsible for about 80% of our dreaming, but some dreaming does occur in the non-REM stages,” says Dr Moira. “If you’re moving, talking or walking in your dreams, it’s probably happening in the non-REM stages.”

Dr Moira also notes that if you’re frequently acting out on your dreams, it’s wise to speak with your healthcare professional for an assessment. And if you find that you’re having a lot of dreams just before waking up, there’s a good explanation.

“Your REM periods become longer in duration and more frequent the more you sleep,” says Dr Moira. “So that’s why we often wake in the middle of a dream.” 

What does REM sleep do?

REM sleep has all sorts of wonderful benefits for our brains and bodies.

“It’s very, very good quality,” says Dr Moira. “It’s wonderful for our memory consolidation, emotional regulation and mental health.”

During this stage, our brains actively process emotions and develop new neural connections vital for learning and problem-solving. Studies have also shown that REM sleep plays an important role in regulating our moods, ensuring that we wake up feeling refreshed and energised.

How much REM sleep is too much?

Again, no exact figure constitutes what is ‘too little’ or ‘too much’ REM sleep. It all comes down to the individual.

“The public health messaging is around getting good sleep in general rather than focusing on specific stages,” explains Dr Moira. 

As you can’t control how much REM sleep you get, you can only focus on improving your overall sleep or speaking with a healthcare professional about your concerns.

“If you think you might have a sleep disorder, look at your quality of life,” says Dr Moira. “Is your sleep negatively impacting your social functioning? Are you struggling at work?”

If you feel like you might be getting too much REM sleep, a healthcare professional can give you the specialised support you need. They can analyse your sleep cycles and advise on the best path forward.

The amount of REM sleep you need depends on your age and biology

Concerned about your REM sleep? Speak with a healthcare professional

The amount of REM sleep a person needs is not set in stone. It varies depending on someone’s age and individual biology. The current sleep advice tells us that the best way to reap the benefits of REM sleep is to focus on getting good quality sleep in general.

If you have concerns about your sleep patterns, it’s best to speak with a healthcare professional for personalised advice.

Related:

• How to sleep better | 5 tips from a sleep expert
• Is poor sleep hygiene affecting your sleep?
• Understanding your circadian rhythm 

Dr Moira Junge, a healthylife Advisory Board member, is a registered practising health psychologist with the added specialty of sleep. She has been in private practice for over 20 years and is the CEO of the Sleep Health Foundation and was a founding member of the Behavioural Management of Sleep Disorders Committee within the Australasian Sleep Association (ASA). Dr Moira was also Chair of the ASA Insomnia and Sleep Health Council (2008-2015) and is a full member of the Australian Psychological Society.

Reviewed by the healthylife Advisory Board March 2023.