Timing of Wake-Up and Response by the Body in the Morning in Females: The Comparison of REM and NREM Arousal

Abstract

Purpose: e purpose of this study was to examine di erences in physical responses a er arousal at di erent sleep stages to promote better physical reactions a er awakening and e cient daytime activities.Methods: Fi een healthy women were monitored for three nights. On night 1, the subjects were aroused at di erent sleep stages [non rapid eye movement (NREM) and REM sleep]. A er arousal, P300 and simple reaction times were measured in each subject. In addition, P300 and simple reaction times were measured before noon in 5 subjects. Analyses were performed comparing the measurements obtained immediately a er arousal under NREM and REM sleep and those obtained immediately a er arousal and before noon under NREM and REM sleep. Results: ere was a signi cant di erence in P300 latencies immediately a er arousal under NREM and REM sleep. Comparison between the measurements immediately a er arousal and before noon under the same conditions showed that arousal during REM sleep was associated with signi cantly shorter push-button (auditory stimuli) and jump reaction times, and arousal during NREM sleep was associated with signi cantly shorter push-button reaction time (photic stimuli), both before noon and at arousal. Conclusion: Arousal during REM sleep was associated with faster cognitive and attentional reactions than arousal during NREM sleep, suggesting that arousal during REM sleep could improve physical reactions a er awakening and promote e cient daytime activities.