What is REM sleep? Decoding rapid eye movement
REM (rapid eye movement) sleep is the deep stage of sleep where your eyes decide to dance a jig behind your eyelids. Birds, mammals, and humans all go through four stages of sleep, switching between REM and non-REM cycles. The grand finale, REM, is where dreams happen, your brain gets extra busy, and those eyes start their little dance. Keep reading to find out more about REM, sleep disorders, and keeping your eyes healthy during all this nocturnal activity.
What is REM sleep?
Rapid eye movement (REM) typically happens within the first 90 minutes of the sleep cycle. Its name comes from the rapid succession of eye movements that happen during this stage of sleep, called saccades. To put it simply: Your eyes quite literally go ballistic.
Defining REM sleep
REM appears in constant cycles and is characterized by rapidly moving eyes and a semi-paralyzed body state (it’s temporary, don’t worry). During this sleep phase, a lot of things happen: Our breathing speeds up, blood pressure increases, we dream, the brain regenerates cells, and our brain activity increases.  
For the other three non-REM stages of sleep, our bodies become restful. Eyes stop moving, muscles relax, memory is activated, and the body works at repairing its physical side.
The significance of eye movements 
Measuring REM responses and brain activity is tricky business, but some evidence suggests our eyes move in response to dream imagery—like they're watching a mini movie while we sleep.
Another idea is the Threat Simulation Theory, which suggests that REM is an ancient visual response to the brain simulating danger. Think of this as a nightly training session for our eyes, teaching them to scan for threats and detect trouble.
All this eye activity during REM, whether it's following dream scenes or practicing for danger, actually boosts your overall eye health. It improves muscle tone, spreads tears to keep your eyes moist, increases oxygen flow to the nerves and cornea, and strengthens the ocular nerve that moves your eyes and relays brain commands. So, your eyes get a workout while you dream!
REM sleep and eye health 
During your REM sleep, a lot happens physiologically to your eyes. Pupils become smaller, and eyes roll and move rapidly. While these might be physical responses to visual processing, they also help with eye health.
Role of REM sleep in visual processing 
Visuals in dreams can evoke strong emotions. During REM, these emotions are regulated and processed, allowing our brains to make sense of situations. This helps create emotional well-being and the ability to cope during wakefulness.
The brain optimizes visuals by tapping into the neural network. During this process, these visual synaptic connections are strengthened. If you wear glasses or contacts, this means your eyes will respond better to any corrective measures.
Eye comfort and REM sleep
Contact lenses can dry your eyes out, and glasses can cause eyestrain. REM distributes tears across the eyes, which can help prevent that scratchy feeling, while improved circulation can decrease eyestrain. 
 For better eye health, you can improve sleep quality by:
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Avoiding caffeine and stimulants before bed (yes, that includes alcohol)
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Avoiding binge-watching on Netflix or other streaming services—no series is worth fatiguing your eyes
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Establishing a sleep routine
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Controlling your room temperature
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REM Sleep Behavior Disorder (RBD) and eye safety 
REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) is the plot of a thriller movie in the making. Instead of experiencing temporary body paralysis during REM, RBD sufferers unknowingly act out their dreams while they're dead asleep, potentially causing harm to themselves or others. Someone could—quite literally—get away with murder.
Understanding RBD 
RBD is a sleep disorder that can lead to violent behavior—without the person knowing. The body acts out everything that happens during REM, with individuals living out their dreams (not in a good way). According to a Cleveland Clinic study, RBD typically happens to people over the age of 50.
During an episode, movement is uncontrollable, increasing the risk of self-injury to your face. This can cause scratching of eyes, ripping out contact lenses, smashing of glasses, and destruction of costly eyewear. 
Managing RBD for eyewear users 
If you have RBD, your first step is to seek professional help from a neurologist. Solutions may include anything from medication to behavior therapy to improve safety.
For those with RBD who wear glasses, there's a risk of them getting broken during an incident, causing cuts and damage to the eyes. As a protective measure, consider removing all eyewear before bed to reduce the risk of injury. Alternatively, you could opt for expensive, durable frames or extended-wear contact lenses. 
Practical tips for glasses and contact lens wearers 
For the best night's sleep, you need to rest your eyes. It's your choice whether to sleep with your eyewear on or to keep it in an accessible area. 
Optimizing sleep with eyewear 
Here are a few best practices to ensure you reap the benefits of REM sleep. 
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Avoid screen time.
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Clean your glasses to avoid irritants getting into your eyes.
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Ensure your surroundings are dust- and dirt-free, especially if you have allergies.
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Use extended-wear contact lenses.
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Use eye drops.
You deserve a good night's sleep
You deserve to count sheep and catch some z's. Rapid eye movement can help with brain function, processing emotions, and restoring the physical body. It's also a state of the sleep cycle that's significant for eye health. 
1-800 Contacts can help you source the right kind of contact lens for your needs and also assist with vision exams. We can help you improve your eyewear and find better solutions, too. Forget eating carrots for eye health—just improve your REM sleep to keep your eyes healthy.  
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FAQs
What are the signs of REM Sleep Behavior Disorder that glasses or contact lens wearers should be aware of?
If your dreams are physical with a lot of acting out, sleep talking, and shouting, you could be at risk. Violent behavior, bolting upright, and confusion are other signs. 
Can poor sleep affect eye health and vision clarity? 
Yes. Lack of sleep can cause conditions like dry eyes due to lack of tear production, eye fatigue, and increased eye pressure.
How does REM sleep affect my vision? 
When the eyes move around during sleep, the brain gathers, processes, and stores this information. This helps you control your eye movements, vision, and coordination.