Benefits of REM sleep

Non-REM sleep is necessary in order to survive. Mild sleep deprivation increases the risk of chronic health conditions and severe sleep deprivation can lead to hallucinations or death.

However, the benefits of REM sleep remain inconclusive. Studies show no obvious adverse effects when participants were deprived of REM sleep.

• Hypothesized benefits suggest certain negative behaviours which should be unlearned are rehearsed through dreams.
• REM sleep is proposed to help transfer memories from the hippocampus to the cerebral cortex.