Category: Sleep Stages

REM Sleep FAQs

Rapid eye movement, or REM sleep, was discovered in 1953 and has led to a wealth of research and information  regarding the mysteries of sleep. Today, your Livonia, MI dentist, Dr. James Stewart shares some interesting REM sleep facts.

The Purpose of Dreaming

Since early history man has been fascinated with the occurrence of dreams. Before the means for dream research existed, people theorized as to the meaning of dreams and why we have them. Ninteenth and 20th century European psychoanalysts expanded on theories put forth by philosophers such as Aristotle and Plato, defining the function of dreaming… Read more »

Sleep States: Part 2 – REM Sleep

Sleep studies began with the invention of the electroencephalograph (EEG).  The EEG records electrical impulses from your brain, which is active even during sleep. During the 1950s, Eugene Aserinsky discovered REM sleep using the electroencephalograph. Since then studies have shown that sleep consists of stages. These stages can be determined according to the different brain… Read more »

Sleep States: Part 1 – Non-REM Sleep

Sleep is a period of rejuvenation for the human body. Your body needs sleep to restore its energy levels. Sleep affects all aspects of your life including how you look, feel, cope with stress, your moods, how you get along with others, how you solve problems, and even how well you recover from illness. Both… Read more »