How to Increase REM Sleep: How Much You Need and Tips

REM sleep makes up about a quarter of a healthy adult's night, roughly 105 to 120 minutes if you sleep 7 to 8 hours, and most of it comes in the last few hours before you wake. The surest ways to get more REM sleep are to sleep long enough, keep a steady wake time, and avoid alcohol before bed. (Patel and colleagues, 2024; Dijk and Czeisler, 1995; Ebrahim and colleagues, 2013) This guide explains how much REM sleep you need, how long each REM period lasts, what cuts REM short, and the habits that protect it.

It is educational, not medical advice.

Key Takeaways

About 25% of the night: REM sleep is roughly a quarter of total sleep in young adults (Patel and colleagues, 2024).
REM grows toward morning: the first REM period starts about 90 minutes after you fall asleep and lasts around 10 minutes; the last can last up to an hour (Patel and colleagues, 2024).
Timing matters: REM sleep peaks in the early morning, and it is highest when the end of your sleep lines up with your usual wake time (Dijk and Czeisler, 1995).
Alcohol cuts REM: it delays the first REM period and lowers total REM at moderate and high doses (Ebrahim and colleagues, 2013).

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What Is REM Sleep?

REM (rapid eye movement) sleep is one of the four stages of sleep. During REM, brain activity looks close to waking, the eyes move quickly, and the muscles go slack, which keeps you from acting out your dreams (Patel and colleagues, 2024). It is the stage most linked with vivid dreaming. Our guide to the stages of sleep explains how REM fits with light and deep sleep, and our deep sleep guide compares deep sleep and REM.

How Much REM Sleep Do You Need?

In young adults, REM sleep makes up about 25% of the night (Patel and colleagues, 2024). That works out to roughly:

Total sleep	About 25% REM
6 hours	About 90 minutes
7 hours	About 105 minutes
8 hours	About 120 minutes

These are worked examples based on the typical 25% share, not targets. The share of REM sleep falls gradually with age in adults, so older adults usually get somewhat less (Ohayon and colleagues, 2004). Adults aged 18 to 60 are advised to sleep at least 7 hours a night (Liu and colleagues, 2016), which is the simplest way to leave room for enough REM.

How Long Does REM Sleep Last?

A typical night has four to five sleep cycles of about 90 to 110 minutes. The first REM period usually begins about 90 minutes after you fall asleep and lasts around 10 minutes. Each later REM period is longer, and the last one can last up to an hour (Patel and colleagues, 2024). That is why the final two or three hours of sleep hold so much of your REM.

Diagram: in an example 8 hour night, REM periods grow from about 10 minutes in the first cycle to up to an hour near morning, so most REM sleep comes in the last few hours and waking early cuts it short.

What Cuts REM Sleep Short?

Short nights: because the longest REM periods come last, waking early cuts mostly into REM sleep (Patel and colleagues, 2024).
Sleeping at the wrong time for your body clock: REM sleep is driven by your circadian rhythm and peaks shortly after your body temperature reaches its lowest point in the early morning, so late or shifting sleep times can trim it (Dijk and Czeisler, 1995).
Alcohol: it delays the first REM period, reduces total REM at moderate and high doses, and disrupts the second half of the night, when most REM happens (Ebrahim and colleagues, 2013).
Late caffeine: 400 mg of caffeine taken even 6 hours before bed disrupted sleep and reduced total sleep time, and less total sleep leaves less room for REM (Drake and colleagues, 2013).

How to Increase REM Sleep: 6 Habits That Help

Sleep long enough. Aim for at least 7 hours (Liu and colleagues, 2016). Most REM comes in the last cycles, so the extra time at the end of the night matters most (Patel and colleagues, 2024).
Keep a steady wake time. REM is highest when your sleep ends at your habitual wake time (Dijk and Czeisler, 1995). Our guide to fixing your sleep schedule shows how to set one.
Skip alcohol close to bed. It holds back REM early in the night and breaks up the second half (Ebrahim and colleagues, 2013).
Stop caffeine at least 6 hours before bed (Drake and colleagues, 2013). Our guide to the caffeine crash covers timing.
Move during the day. Regular exercise has small benefits for total sleep time and sleep efficiency and moderate benefits for sleep quality (Kredlow and colleagues, 2015).
Pay back missed sleep gradually. Short weeks add up; our guide to sleep debt explains how to recover.

For the full set of everyday habits behind better nights, see our guide on how to sleep better.

Should You Trust Your Tracker's REM Number?

Use it for trends, not single nights. In a lab test of seven consumer sleep trackers against polysomnography, the devices detected sleep well, but their sleep stage estimates were inconsistent (Chinoy and colleagues, 2021). A low REM reading on one night is not a reason to worry; a steady pattern over weeks, together with how you feel, tells you more.

Where Our Products Fit

No supplement lets you choose how much REM sleep you get; the habits above matter most. A consistent bedtime routine supports the steady sleep that REM depends on. Melatonin is the hormone your body uses to signal night; our Melatonin Nasal Spray provides 200 mcg of melatonin with 17 mg of L-theanine per two-spray serving, used 15 to 30 minutes before bed. The Sleep Stack combines Melatonin Nasal Spray, Theanine Nasal Spray and Lithium Orotate in one evening routine. Learn more on our melatonin ingredient page and our sleep health hub, or see our guide to falling asleep fast. Talk to your doctor before starting a supplement if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or take medication.

When to See a Doctor

See a doctor if you act out your dreams by shouting, kicking or punching in your sleep, fall asleep suddenly during the day, snore loudly or stop breathing during sleep, or feel very sleepy despite enough time in bed. These can be signs of REM sleep behavior disorder, narcolepsy or sleep apnea. Some medicines can change REM sleep too, so ask your doctor or pharmacist if you notice a change after starting one. A sleep study can measure your REM sleep properly.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much REM sleep should you get?

About 25% of your sleep in young adults, roughly 105 to 120 minutes for 7 to 8 hours of sleep (Patel and colleagues, 2024).

What percentage of sleep should be REM?

Around 25% in young adults, falling slightly with age (Patel and colleagues, 2024; Ohayon and colleagues, 2004).

How long does REM sleep last?

The first REM period lasts about 10 minutes; later ones grow longer, up to about an hour toward morning (Patel and colleagues, 2024).

How can I increase my REM sleep naturally?

Sleep at least 7 hours, keep a steady wake time, and avoid alcohol and late caffeine (Liu and colleagues, 2016; Dijk and Czeisler, 1995; Ebrahim and colleagues, 2013; Drake and colleagues, 2013).

Why am I not getting enough REM sleep?

The most common reasons are short nights, irregular sleep times and alcohol (Patel and colleagues, 2024; Dijk and Czeisler, 1995; Ebrahim and colleagues, 2013). Tracker readings can also be off (Chinoy and colleagues, 2021).

Does alcohol affect REM sleep?

Yes. It delays the first REM period and lowers total REM at moderate and high doses (Ebrahim and colleagues, 2013).

When does most REM sleep happen?

In the last few hours of the night, peaking in the early morning (Patel and colleagues, 2024; Dijk and Czeisler, 1995).

Is REM sleep the same as deep sleep?

No. Deep sleep is the N3 stage of non-REM sleep; REM is a separate stage with active, wake-like brain waves (Patel and colleagues, 2024).