Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep is altered in Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. REM sleep helps with emotional memory. In an article and editorial in this months journal SLEEP experts have shown that REM sleep is fragmented and decreased after emotional trauma. A brief review of sleep and wake shows that there are 3 states in being alive. When awake your brain and body are very active. With REM sleep your brian is active and most of your body is paralyzed. With nonREM (NREM) sleep your brain is at rest but your body can move. Nightmares and disorders such as Sleep Paralysis occur with REM sleep whereas Sleep Walking and similar disorders occur during NREM sleep. We need both REM and NREM sleep to restore ourselves overnight. Research is under way on how to restore REM sleep in the PTSD patient. Either medication or behavioral treatment may be the answer. Knowing what happens is the start in helping those with PTSD.
Posted on: Fri, 08 Aug 2014 18:45:15 +0000
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