When was the last time you woke up truly refreshed?

If you’re someone who goes to bed at a reasonable hour, limits caffeine, and even powers down screens before sleep - but still wakes up groggy, anxious, or unfocused - REM sleep might be the missing piece.

In this blog, we’ll explore:

• What REM sleep is and why it matters

• How it fits into the broader sleep cycle

• What disrupts REM sleep

• How to support better REM sleep - naturally, without pills

Because for women in their 40s navigating brain fog, afternoon crashes, and hormonal shifts, prioritizing REM sleep is less about vanity - and more about vitality.

🧠 What Is REM Sleep?

REM stands for Rapid Eye Movement, the unique sleep stage marked by vivid dreams, fast brain activity, and increased heart rate.

Although it only makes up about 20–25% of your total sleep time, REM is essential for:

• Emotional processing and resilience

• Memory consolidation and learning

• Neuroplasticity, which helps your brain adapt and stay sharp

• Hormonal regulation, especially cortisol and melatonin rhythms

This is the sleep that reboots your mood, strengthens cognition, and helps you wake up feeling like yourself again.

⏰ When Does REM Sleep Happen?

Your body cycles through four sleep stages multiple times each night:

1. Light sleep (stages 1-2)

2. Deep sleep (stage 3, also called slow-wave sleep)

3. REM sleep (stage 4)

Each full sleep cycle lasts 90–110 minutes, and REM periods grow longer and deeper as the night progresses. That’s why getting a full 7–9 hours is so important - most of your REM sleep occurs in the final third of the night.

⚠️ What Disrupts REM Sleep?

Even small changes to your routine can interfere with REM. Common culprits include:

• Late-night screen exposure, which suppresses melatonin and delays sleep cycles

• Chronic stress, which elevates nighttime cortisol

• Alcohol and certain medications, which can block REM stages

• Fragmented sleep, caused by snoring, poor posture, or overheating

You might be sleeping - but not cycling into REM deeply or long enough to reap its benefits.

🌿 How to Support REM Sleep Naturally

Rather than defaulting to sleep meds, which can suppress REM sleep, more health-conscious women are turning to evidence-based, side-effect-free approaches like:

1. Grounding During Sleep

Using a Grounding Fitted Sheet connects your body to the Earth’s natural electrical field, helping regulate circadian rhythms and reduce cortisol.

One study found that grounded individuals had more balanced night-time cortisol levels, which supports deeper, more restorative REM sleep¹.

2. Tracking Your Sleep Patterns

The COLMI R03 Smart Ring Tracker provides nightly insights into your sleep cycles - including how much REM you’re getting.

This can help you spot patterns (like caffeine or stress disrupting REM) and adjust your habits for more restorative nights.

3. Improving Sleep Posture

If you toss and turn or experience neck or back discomfort, your body may be waking up before you reach the REM-rich second half of the night. The Wedge Pillow supports upright or side-sleeping comfort and is especially helpful for women managing reflux, snoring, or pregnancy-related discomfort.

✨ Final Thoughts: Prioritize Your REM

If deep sleep is about physical repair, REM sleep is about mental restoration.

It’s the time when your brain processes stress, consolidates memories, and supports mood regulation - so when REM suffers, so do focus, energy, and emotional balance.

Supporting your REM sleep doesn’t require a pharmaceutical solution. It just requires intentional, natural changes - like sleeping grounded, staying in rhythm, and optimizing your sleep environment.

Because at the end of the day, a well-rested brain is your superpower.

🔬 References

1. Ghaly, M. & Teplitz, D. (2004). The biologic effects of grounding the human body during sleep. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 10(5), 767–776.

2. Scullin, M. K., & Bliwise, D. L. (2015). Sleep, cognition, and normal aging: Integrating a half century of multidisciplinary research. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 10(1), 97–137.

3. Rasch, B., & Born, J. (2013). About sleep’s role in memory. Physiological Reviews, 93(2), 681–766.

4. Walker, M. P. (2009). The role of sleep in cognition and emotion. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1156(1), 168–197.