Getting eight hours of sleep doesn't always mean you're getting enough REM sleep. This stage of sleep plays an important role in memory, learning, and emotional processing. And while you can't force your brain into REM sleep, a few changes may help you get more of it.

The best place to start? Sleep long enough, stick to a regular schedule, and avoid habits that interrupt your sleep cycles.

Key Takeaways:

• Most adults spend around 20% to 25% of their total sleep time in REM sleep.
• Getting seven to nine hours of sleep gives your brain more opportunities to complete REM cycles.
• Alcohol can reduce REM sleep, even at relatively low doses.
• Sleep trackers can miscalculate REM sleep, so don't judge your sleep quality by one night's numbers.

What Is REM Sleep, and How Much Do You Need?

REM stands for rapid eye movement. During this stage, your brain becomes highly active, vivid dreams are common, and most of your muscles temporarily relax. REM sleep also plays a role in learning, memory, and emotional processing.

According to the National Institutes of Health, sleep cycles repeat roughly every 80 to 100 minutes, with REM periods becoming longer toward morning. (1)

For healthy adults, REM sleep generally accounts for around 20% to 25% of total sleep.

Here's what that looks like:

These are estimates, not strict targets. REM sleep varies with age, sleep quality, medications, and individual differences.

One detail worth remembering: more REM sleep isn't automatically better. Your brain needs both REM and non-REM sleep for healthy functioning.

7 Ways to Increase REM Sleep

You can't directly control how much REM sleep your brain produces. However, you can create better conditions for uninterrupted sleep cycles.

1. Get 7 to 9 Hours of Sleep Each Night

One of the simplest ways to get more REM sleep is to give yourself enough time to sleep.

Your body spends more time in deep sleep during the first part of the night, while REM periods become longer toward morning. Cutting your sleep short may mean missing some of those longer REM periods. (1)

For example, sleeping six hours with 25% REM gives you 90 minutes. Eight hours with 22% REM gives you nearly 106 minutes.

So, don't focus only on increasing your REM percentage. Getting enough total sleep matters just as much.

Try setting your bedtime early enough to allow seven to nine hours of sleep, plus a little extra time to fall asleep.

2. Keep a Consistent Sleep Schedule

Your brain follows an internal clock called the circadian rhythm. It helps regulate sleep timing, alertness, and the release of hormones such as melatonin.

Going to bed at different times every night can disrupt this rhythm, making consistent sleep harder. The CDC recommends maintaining regular bedtimes and wake-up times, including weekends. (2)

A few practical changes can help:

• Wake up at roughly the same time every morning.
• Get natural sunlight shortly after waking.
• Dim bright lights and reduce screen use before bed.

Consistency supports your natural sleep cycles, although it doesn't guarantee a specific increase in REM sleep.

3. Avoid Alcohol Before Bed

Alcohol might make you feel sleepy, but it can interfere with REM sleep.

A 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis of 27 studies found that alcohol delayed the start of REM sleep and reduced its duration. These changes appeared at doses around two standard drinks and became stronger at higher doses. (3)

That's important because falling asleep faster doesn't necessarily mean you're sleeping better.

If improving REM sleep is your goal, limiting alcohol, particularly near bedtime, is a sensible place to start.

4. Limit Late-Day Caffeine and Nicotine

That afternoon coffee might still be affecting your sleep when bedtime arrives.

Caffeine blocks adenosine, a chemical involved in building sleep pressure throughout the day. Consuming it late can make falling asleep harder and reduce sleep quality.

Nicotine is another stimulant that can interfere with restful sleep.

Try avoiding caffeine for at least six to eight hours before bedtime, adjusting based on your sensitivity. Avoid nicotine near bedtime as well.

These changes primarily support better sleep continuity rather than directly increasing REM sleep.

5. Exercise Regularly and Manage Stress

Physical activity can help improve sleep quality, especially when you make it part of your regular routine.

You don't need an intense workout. Walking, cycling, swimming, or other moderate activities can help support healthy sleep.

Stress management matters, too. Racing thoughts and nighttime anxiety can make it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep.

Consider:

• Taking a 20 to 30-minute walk during the day.
• Practicing slow breathing before bed.
• Keeping work and stressful activities away from bedtime.

Regular exercise and relaxation may support better sleep, but research hasn't established that these habits consistently increase REM sleep specifically.

6. Keep Your Bedroom Cool, Dark, and Quiet

Your sleeping environment can affect how frequently you wake during the night.

A warm bedroom, street noise, or light entering through your curtains can interrupt sleep. Even brief awakenings may interfere with normal sleep cycles.

Keep your bedroom comfortably cool, reduce unwanted noise, and block outside light where possible.

Blackout curtains, a comfortable mattress, and a consistent bedtime routine can also help.

The goal isn't to create a perfect bedroom. It's to reduce anything that keeps waking you up.

7. Address Sleep Disorders and Review Medications

If you're getting enough sleep but still feel exhausted, an underlying issue might be affecting your sleep quality.

Sleep apnea, for example, causes repeated breathing interruptions during sleep. These disruptions can fragment sleep and interfere with normal sleep stages.

Certain medications, including some antidepressants, can also suppress REM sleep.

If you snore loudly, wake up gasping, or experience persistent daytime sleepiness, speak with a healthcare professional.

And if you suspect your medication is affecting REM sleep, don't stop taking it on your own. Your doctor can review possible alternatives.

Can Supplements Help Increase REM Sleep?

Some supplements may help with sleep timing or sleep quality, but evidence that they directly increase REM sleep remains limited.

Melatonin has some promising, but mixed, findings.

In a small clinical trial involving 14 patients with reduced REM sleep, taking 3 mg of melatonin nightly for four weeks increased REM sleep from 14.7% to 17.8% in one treatment group. The placebo group's REM percentage decreased from 14.3% to 12.0%. (4)

However, another controlled study involving eight healthy men found that 1.5 mg of melatonin affected sleep timing without significantly changing REM sleep percentage. (5)

These findings suggest melatonin's effects may depend on the individual and their sleep condition.

Magnesium is also popular for sleep support, but there isn't strong clinical evidence that it specifically increases REM sleep.

Similarly, NMN and resveratrol are being studied for their roles in cellular metabolism and healthy aging, but human research hasn't established that taking them increases REM sleep.

For now, improving your sleep habits is a better starting point than relying on supplements. Speak with your healthcare provider before using sleep supplements, especially if you take medications.

Why Is My REM Sleep So Low?

If your smartwatch reports only 30 or 45 minutes of REM sleep, don't panic. That reading doesn't necessarily mean your brain is missing REM sleep.

Several things can affect REM duration, including:

• Short sleep: Waking up early can cut off longer REM periods.
• Alcohol and medications: Some substances can suppress REM sleep.
• Sleep disorders: Conditions such as sleep apnea can disrupt normal sleep patterns.
• Age: Sleep architecture changes as people get older.
• Tracker accuracy: Wearable devices estimate sleep stages rather than measuring brain activity directly.

The last point deserves attention. A 2024 study involving 53 adults compared five commercial sleep-tracking devices against polysomnography, the standard method used in clinical sleep studies.

Researchers found that sleep-stage estimates varied considerably between devices and individuals. Some estimates differed from laboratory measurements by as much as 250 minutes. (6)

That doesn't make your sleep tracker useless. It's still helpful for monitoring sleep duration and long-term patterns.

But one low REM reading isn't enough to diagnose a problem. If low readings accompany ongoing fatigue, excessive sleepiness, or breathing problems during sleep, consider a medical evaluation.

Final Words

If you want more REM sleep, start by protecting the last few hours of your night. That's when REM periods become longer, and an early alarm can cut them short.

Consistent sleep, less alcohol, and fewer nighttime interruptions can make a meaningful difference to your sleep routine.

Alongside better sleep, supporting cellular health may be another part of your healthy aging routine. Omre NMN + Resveratrol combines two ingredients studied for their roles in NAD+ metabolism and cellular health, although it hasn't been shown to directly increase REM sleep.

FAQs

How much REM sleep do you need per night?

Most adults spend around 20% to 25% of their sleep in REM. For someone sleeping eight hours, that's approximately 96 to 120 minutes. Individual amounts vary, and there isn't one exact target for everyone.

Is 1 hour of REM sleep enough?

One hour is below the common adult range for someone sleeping seven to nine hours. However, a single night doesn't tell the whole story, especially when the measurement comes from a wearable sleep tracker.

Can you increase REM sleep naturally?

You may support healthy REM sleep by getting enough total sleep, maintaining a regular schedule, limiting alcohol, and reducing nighttime disturbances. No lifestyle change guarantees a specific amount of REM sleep.

Does melatonin increase REM sleep?

Some small clinical trials have reported increased REM sleep with melatonin, while others found no significant change. More research is needed before recommending melatonin specifically for increasing REM sleep.

Is REM sleep more important than deep sleep?

Both serve different purposes. REM sleep supports functions such as memory and emotional processing, while deep sleep contributes to physical recovery and restoration. Healthy sleep includes both stages.

References

1. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. How Sleep Works: Sleep Phases and Stages.
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About Sleep.
3. Gardiner C, et al. (2025). The Effect of Alcohol on Subsequent Sleep in Healthy Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sleep Medicine Reviews.
4. Kunz D, et al. (2004). Melatonin in Patients With Reduced REM Sleep Duration: Two Randomized Controlled Trials. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
5. Rajaratnam SMW, et al. (2004). Melatonin Advances the Circadian Timing of EEG Sleep and Directly Facilitates Sleep Without Altering Its Duration in Extended Sleep Opportunities in Humans. The Journal of Physiology.
6. Evaluating Accuracy in Five Commercial Sleep-Tracking Devices Compared to Research-Grade Actigraphy and Polysomnography. (2024). Sensors.