During REM sleep there is a sharp decrease in a brain chemical associated with stress. Reprocessing difficult memories in such an environment makes coping with them easier.
Published in Current Biology, the study offers some of the first insights into the emotional function of Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep, which typically takes up 20 percent of a healthy human’s sleeping hours. Previous brain studies indicate that sleep patterns are disrupted in people with mood disorders such as PTSD and depression.
The research unlocks many of the mysteries linking sleep to learning, memory, and mood regulation—and shows the importance of the REM dream state.
Matthew Walker, associate professor of psychology and neuroscience at the University of California, Berkeley.
