I notice discrepancies when I compare my Zeo data to past PSGs; can you explain this?
Q: The percentage of REM sleep indicated from Zeo results runs in the neighborhood of 30%. Whereas the percentage of REM sleep indicated from my past two sleep lab results is around 8%. Do you have any thoughts about the discrepancy?
A: REM sleep averages about 1-3 hours a night for adults, or around 20-30% of sleep totals. Remember, these are averages, as some people get much less and others get more. 8% REM is below the low side of the REM averages drawn from our DOZER database, assuming that you sleep around seven to eight hours. If you sleep ten hours or more, you may be getting enough REM but the percentage of total sleep is naturally smaller. It’s also possible that when you were at the sleep lab, you awoke before your last REM cycle, which can skew your percentages.
Some reasons for getting less REM sleep than the average include sleep fragmentation due to external disrupting factors or possibly other sleep conditions that disrupt sleep and prevent REM from occurring.
Some medications can also lead to less REM sleep, including some antidepressants and medications that include caffeine. Excessive exercise has also been linked to getting less REM sleep.
All that said, the most important factor is your own perceived feelings about how well you sleep. How do you feel throughout the day? Do you feel well rested after a night of sleep or do you always feel tired? This is more important than the REM percentages because everyone is unique and there is much we don’t know about the function of REM sleep.
Of course, if you feel tired after 7-9 hours of sleep each night, then it could be a sign of an underlying issue. Many who suffer from sleep or health disorders do not often remember their own sleep disturbances or awakenings throughout the night. If you think that you may be at risk for a sleep disorder, consult your physician or a sleep specialist.
If you’d like to asses your risk for sleep apnea, as well as get more information, click here.
Related Questions:
- Is it possible to get too much REM sleep?
- Should I try to reduce my REM sleep?
- Is it unusual to go directly from Wake to REM?
- How does Zeo compare to traditional sleep tracking methods like PSG?
Still have questions? Ask yours here
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