I love being able to recall the dreams I had the previous night. I'm often chased, which is not pleasant, but remembering allows me to investigate the waking stressors that followed me into sleep.
Most vivid dreaming occurs during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, and both REM and non-REM sleep (including light and deep sleep) support functions for healthy aging, including memory, immune function, and hormone regulation.
During sleep, we tend to spend the least amount of time in REM (i.e., dreaming). Yet new research shows it may have an outsized effect on aging.
In what researchers describe as “the most comprehensive map” of sleep patterns and disease risk, they found that people who spent more time in REM sleep had a lower risk of 83 diseases.
Ah, if only aging biology didn’t get in the way of REM sleep…
Key takeaways
A major study found that more REM sleep was linked to a lower risk of 83 different diseases. Deep sleep was linked to a lower risk of seven diseases.
Surprisingly, the lowest disease risk appeared among adults sleeping 6–8 hours, not the 7–9 hours commonly recommended for older adults.
The study cannot prove that REM sleep prevents disease, but treating apnea, trying CBT-I, and protecting a consistent sleep schedule may help preserve the kind of sleep that supports healthy aging.
What amount of sleep makes you feel best the next morning?
This is what REM does for disease risk
We’re now seeing more and more research suggesting that sleep stage patterns are tied to long-term health.
REM sleep is specifically thought to support mood regulation, learning, and dementia prevention. What’s amazing are the studies that show how it might affect your risk of dying.
A new observational study in PLOS Medicine takes the aging-related research one step further. Led by researchers from Capital Medical University in China, the study found that roughly 48 more minutes of REM sleep each night could reduce the risk of 83 diseases, many of which are cardiometabolic, metabolic, and neurologic conditions tied to longevity.
They found:
More time in REM was linked to nearly 50% lower dementia risk: Greater REM sleep was linked to a 26% lower risk of heart failure, 46% lower risk of dementia, and 80% lower risk of Parkinson’s disease.
More sleep is not necessarily better: In this study, adults who slept within a 6-8 hour window spent more time in REM, and had the lowest risk for the most diseases. General sleep guidelines are 7-9 hours of sleep for adults 61-64.
Sleep regularity and continuity matter: A consistent sleep schedule can support your circadian rhythm and lead to more consistent time in REM. Less than five hours and inconsistent sleep were linked to increased disease risk.
More deep (slow-wave) sleep was also linked to a lower risk of seven conditions, including depression and type 2 diabetes, emphasizing its role in supporting aging and longevity.
So why do I feel like I’m sleeping lighter as I get older?
Unfortunately, it’s because you probably are, but biology can explain a lot. Studies continue to show that sleep becomes lighter and more fragmented with age.
Some estimates even suggest that the average older adult wakes up 3-4 times a night.
Sleep apnea, hormonal changes in women, anxiety, and other conditions can all play a role. The increase in sleep fragmentation, or time awake, can make you lethargic and tired during the day, and it may be a sign of insomnia, sleep apnea, or another sleep problem.
It’s also worth factoring in how REM sleep works. Time spent in REM sleep seems to be concentrated during the second half of the night, and early morning wake-ups may cut off the total time you spend in REM.
And lifestyle still has a role:
Did you drink alcohol today?
Are you meeting weekly fitness recommendations (150 minutes of moderate/high intensity activity and strength training)?
Is life making you feel more stressed or sad than normal?
These can affect sleep quality, which impacts time spent in REM sleep.
How can you start supporting REM sleep?
The older we get, it feels like quality sleep becomes harder to come by. Fortunately, there are simple, evidence-based strategies that may boost sleep quality and efficiency, and these could increase the time you spend in REM sleep.
Focus on your environment
How cold, dark, or noisy is the room? Sleep tends to improve with a darker, quieter, and colder room. This feels too easy, but it could have a shocking effect on cardiovascular disease risk, dementia risk, and mortality over time.
Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I)
This can help retrain the brain for better sleep and reduce anxiety that can be caused by insomnia, which affects more than half of adults.
Sleep restriction therapy is a CBT-I technique I recently learned at the Livelong Women’s Health Summit! It temporarily limits time in bed to consolidate sleep that may improve quality zzz’s, though it’s best done with clinical guidance.
Treat underlying apnea
Sleep apnea is commonly missed or undiagnosed in older adults, especially in women who don’t present snoring as a major symptom. Some data suggest that nearly 80% of adults may have undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnea. Consider talking with a sleep specialist if you’re experiencing frequent nighttime urination, snoring, daytime sleepiness, or ongoing fatigue.
Stay consistent
Keep a consistent sleep/wake schedule as best you can to support your body’s natural circadian rhythm.
Hormonal or non-hormonal treatment (for women)
For women in menopause, if hot flashes or other symptoms are affecting your sleep, experts at the Summit also recommend talking with a clinician about hormone therapy, non-hormonal treatments, or traditional CBT for anxiety.
“To sleep, perchance to dream (more often)”
If this research has taught us anything, it’s that we might literally want to chase our dreams. Though the study cannot prove REM sleep prevents disease, it offers a new understanding that time spent in different sleep stages might matter just as much as the hours we spend in bed.
Consider doing more things that support restful sleep instead of hours asleep, and you might have more energy to live better, longer, and chase your real dreams.
More from Livelong
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Poll response
This week's answer comes from last week’s article, Your pelvic floor changes with age. We asked:
How comfortable are you talking about pelvic health—peeing, pooping, sex, leakage, or pelvic pain?
52% said they’re very comfortable with it. It’s health, not taboo. How many of you resonate with these readers?
“These are important health topics in this time period, and we need to be more comfortable in talking about them,” and “at this age, it’s mandatory for me to get all the help I can…no matter how uncomfortable!!”
Until next time!
Erin
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The information provided about wellness and health is for general informational and educational purposes only. We are not licensed medical professionals, and the content here should not be considered medical advice. Talk to a doctor before trying any of these suggestions.
