Sometimes there is nothing like getting a great night of sleep. It can seem to improve your whole outlook on the day and is something that many of us don't get often enough. Rapid eye movement (or REM) sleep is something that the average person experiences four or five times a night and is known as the deepest part of sleep. This is when most people have vivid dreams and accounts for about twenty percent of an adult's night. If you find that you don't feel rested than you might want to learn more about this sleep pattern.

If someone were watching you during REM sleep than they would see a difference between this and other types of rest. Your eyes move, hands and feet can twitch, and you breathe faster. Your heart rate is usually also faster during this time. Some might think that these symptoms are showing that you're dreaming. You could be reliving an experience or be running away from some monster in a nightmare.

When you're in training for any kind of sport it's likely that you have a lot on your plate and could use to pick up some extra time wherever possible. You might even be wondering how much sleep you really need every night before it affects your body in negative ways. You should know that deep sleep is when the body is able to repair and plays a vital role in overall health. It is as important as the food that you eat every day and making sure you stay on track with your fitness routine. REM sleep also plays a big role in developing memory and learning skills.

The best way to make sure you're getting enough REM sleep is set a regular schedule for your sleeping. If you work the same shift with the same hours than this might not be too difficult. It might be a little tougher if you're working on-call 24 hours, for example. Your sleep could be disturbed at any time of the day if you get an emergency call. But you should try to at least nap when you're losing sleep due to other things in your life. Just remember that this is meant as a little recharge and should not set off your whole day's routine.

There are many reasons why you need to make sure that you're getting enough REM sleep. It will allow you to get through your day with the energy that you need and still make it to an event in the evening. This is something essential for any healthy life.