REM sleep accounts for almost 25% of nighttime sleep and is easy to recognize—during this stage, the eyes move rapidly back and forth, breathing is irregular, and muscles are atonic. Surprisingly, brain activity during this stage mirrors that of wakefulness, boasting primarily active beta waves. Because of these active waves, many people experience vivid dreams or night terrors during REM sleep. The REM stage typically lasts 10 minutes per cycle, although each subsequent stage lengthens throughout the night.

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