REM sleep is often referred to as paradoxical sleep because of the combination of high brain activity and lack of muscle tone.

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REM sleep is marked by rapid movements of the eyes. The brain waves associated with this stage of sleep are very similar to those observed when a person is awake, and this is the period of sleep in which dreaming occurs.

REM Sleep

Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020, April 22). Psychology (2nd ed.). OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/1-introduction

OpenStax Psychology (2nd ed.) Textbook

REM sleep is associated with paralysis of muscle systems in the body, with the exception of those that make circulation and respiration possible. Therefore, no movement of voluntary muscles occurs during REM sleep in a normal individual.

Muscle Paralysis in REM Sleep

Paradoxical Sleep

Like NREM sleep, REM sleep has been implicated in various aspects of learning and memory.

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