SLEEP SATIATION - EXTENDED SLEEP IN NORMAL SUBJECTS

The distribution of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep was studied by allowing each subject to sleep until he was ready to terminate the night. This procedure provided data relevant to the three simple alternatives with regard to the nocturnal curve of REM sleep: (1) REM sleep is positively accelerated throughout the night; (2) REM sleep is negatively accelerated throughout the night; and (3) REM sleep is linearly related to total amount of sleep. The twenty-two subjects, all college students, slept for a combined total of 60 nights, averaging 578 min of sleep per night. In general, the findings were most consistent with the third alternative. Evidence pertaining to the possibility that a constant amount of REM sleep (i.e., dreaming) is required each night was negative. © 1968.