What are the main features of REM sleep?
REM sleep is characterized by pronounced muscular atonia, phasic twitches, and bursts of rapid eye movements.
During this state, the EEG is relatively low in amplitude and often is similar to that seen during drowsiness, although people in REM sleep appear deeply asleep by behavioral criteria.
Most dreaming occurs during REM sleep. Newborns and infants have a higher proportion of REM sleep compared to NREM sleep.
The proportion of REM sleep to NREM sleep gradually decreases as the pattern of sleep shifts with increasing age and remains stable (18% to 25% of total sleep time) through later childhood and adult life.
