Scientists May Have Just Figured Out What REM Sleep Is For
A study presents a new perspective on why we sleep as we do. There are still many unanswered questions about sleep. Science knows that rest is one of the most basic functions for all animals, including humans, and plays a significant role in keeping organisms healthy. Sleep phases have been cataloged according to what the body and the brain do during these stages. Scientists are still studying this.
The human body is an inspiringly complex organic machine. To summarize, the brain controls the voluntary and involuntary actions of the body through the nervous system. The nervous system is divided into two main "regions," the sympathetic and the parasympathetic. The parasympathetic controls function linked to "feed, rest and reproduce" while the sympathetic controls "fight or flight" actions.
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A new study from scientists in China assures they have finally uncovered why REM sleep occurs. REM, short for rapid-eye-movement, is where most dreams take place. But REM is part of a longer sleep cycle that includes non-rapid-eye-movements (NREM) stages. It is believed that REM stages help the brain consolidate and process new information. But the leading author of the new study, Dr. Wang Liping from Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, says that REM is linked to fight or flight actions.
The fight or flight defensive response is triggered when a person experiences a threatening or stressful situation. The adrenal glands release hormones like adrenaline and noradrenaline. These cause an increase in heart rates, blood pressure, and breathing rate, among other things. The body does this to increase oxygen flow to muscles to
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