Cited by 169Sleep and Wakefulness ResearchSleep and related disordersNeuroscience of respiration and sleep

NREM and REM Sleep: Complementary Roles in Recovery after Wakefulness

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Vyazovskiy, Vladyslav V., Delogu, Alessio·2014·The Neuroscientist

Abstract

The overall function of sleep is hypothesized to provide "recovery" after preceding waking activities, thereby ensuring optimal functioning during subsequent wakefulness. However, the functional significance of the temporal dynamics of sleep, manifested in the slow homeostatic process and the alternation between non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and REM sleep remains unclear. We propose that NREM and REM sleep have distinct and complementary contributions to the overall function of sleep. Specifically, we suggest that cortical slow oscillations, occurring within specific functionally interconnected neuronal networks during NREM sleep, enable information processing, synaptic plasticity, and prophylactic cellular maintenance ("recovery process"). In turn, periodic excursions into an activated brain state-REM sleep-appear to be ideally placed to perform "selection" of brain networks, which have benefited from the process of "recovery," based on their offline performance. Such two-stage modus operandi of the sleep process would ensure that its functions are fulfilled according to the current need and in the shortest time possible. Our hypothesis accounts for the overall architecture of normal sleep and opens up new perspectives for understanding pathological conditions associated with abnormal sleep patterns.

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Crossref · 10.1177/1073858413518152

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  • NREM sleep is required for optimal wakefulness and cognitive function the following day.

    “REM sleep occurs after slow-wave sleep and allows for emotional memory processing, while NREM sleep is required for optimal wakefulness and cognitive function the following day [19,20,21,22,23].”

    From The Cyclical Battle of Insomnia and Mental Health Impairment in Firefighters: A Narrative Review (2024) · cites this paper as [22]

    The Figure 6 caption (p. 11) proposes that recovery during NREM sleep helps make the brain ready for optimal waking, and the Summary (p. 12) links sleep to optimal performance during subsequent waking. The paper presents this as a hypothesis involving complementary NREM and REM roles, not as an established finding that NREM sleep alone is required for next-day cognitive function. (LLM, conf=0.84)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • REM sleep occurs after slow-wave sleep and allows for emotional memory processing.

    “REM sleep occurs after slow-wave sleep and allows for emotional memory processing, while NREM sleep is required for optimal wakefulness and cognitive function the following day [19,20,21,22,23].”

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Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. Sejnowski TJ, Destexhe A. 2000. Why do we sleep? Brain Res 886(1-2):208-223.

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Authors
Vyazovskiy, V. V., & Delogu, A.
Affiliations
  • University of Oxford (GB)
  • King's College London (GB)
Venue
The Neuroscientist
Published
2014-03-04
Volume
20
Issue
3
Pages
203-219
ISSN
  • 1073-8584 (ISSN-L)
  • 1089-4098
OpenAlex
W2103230563
Cited by
169
References
188
Citations by year
2026: 10 · 2025: 17 · 2024: 13 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 20 · 2021: 19 · 2020: 16 · 2019: 13 · 2018: 17 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 4 · 2012: 1
FWCI
5.77
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • The Neuroscientist (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Research Portal (King's College London) (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
Funders
  • Wellcome Trust (098461)
  • European Commission (322050)
  • Medical Research Council
  • FP7 People: Marie-Curie Actions
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Sleep and Wakefulness Research
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Sleep and related disorders
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Neuroscience of respiration and sleep
Keywords
NREM sleep, REM sleep, sleep function, synaptic plasticity, sleep homeostasis, sleep architecture, sleep disorders
MeSH terms
Animals, Brain, Humans, Sleep Stages, Wakefulness, Brain Waves

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