REM Sleep Interruption: Experimental Shortening of REM Period Duration

ABSTRACTThis experiment concerns itself with the extent to which psychological factors can influence normal sleep patterns. After 4 baseline nights of uninterrupted sleep, each of 4 Ss was awakened in the course of 2 nights during every REM period about 10 min following each REM onset. Ss, however, were not REM deprived. The interruption nights were followed by a recovery night of uninterrupted sleep. All nights were consecutive. The results show that during recovery nights all Ss continued to have significantly shorter than normal REM periods by going into NREM sleep at about the time they would have been awakened during the interruption nights. These shortened REM periods occurred even during early morning hours, when REM periods normally become longer. Arguments are advanced that this finding may best be explained in terms of a conditioned avoidance response.