REM sleep is characterized by which features?

REM sleep is characterized by which features?

• A. Dreaming
• B. Paralysis
• C. Dreaming and Paralysis
• D. Wakefulness

Answer: (C)

REM sleep is defined by the simultaneous occurrence of vivid dreaming and muscle paralysis. The brain becomes highly active during REM, which supports the rich, often bizarre dream experiences you recall in the morning. At the same time, nerve signals from the brainstem cause almost complete inhibition of voluntary muscles, so you don’t physically act out your dreams. This combination—dreaming plus paralysis—distinctly characterizes REM sleep, whereas dreaming alone or paralysis alone can occur in other states, and wakefulness is not the pattern seen in REM.

REM sleep is defined by the simultaneous occurrence of vivid dreaming and muscle paralysis. The brain becomes highly active during REM, which supports the rich, often bizarre dream experiences you recall in the morning. At the same time, nerve signals from the brainstem cause almost complete inhibition of voluntary muscles, so you don’t physically act out your dreams. This combination—dreaming plus paralysis—distinctly characterizes REM sleep, whereas dreaming alone or paralysis alone can occur in other states, and wakefulness is not the pattern seen in REM.