How can you get more REM sleep? Here's what experts say.

You did it! You finally won the lottery, and you're making plans to spend all that cash ... but then you're startled awake by your alarm clock. It was just a dream (sigh). Whether or not you remember them, you likely have several dreams every night — they happen when you enter the rapid eye movement (REM) phase of your sleep cycle.

REM sleep is one of the four sleep stages you cycle through each night. During this stage, your eyes move rapidly behind your eyelids (hence the name), and brain waves work similarly to when you're awake, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. Your body is temporarily paralyzed as you dream, and your breathing increases. This stage of sleep is particularly important because it helps your brain form connections and log memories, so you don't want to shortchange yourself with a bad night's rest.

Below, we'll explain what you can do to improve your overall sleep, which in turn will improve how much REM sleep you're getting. To give yourself the best shot at success, make sure you're sleeping on the best bedsheets out there. Also consider the best pillows for every type of sleeper and how often you should be replacing your pillows.

What is REM sleep and why is it so important?

REM sleep isn't just about dreaming, Dr. Erik St. Louis, a neurologist and chair of the Division of Sleep Neurology at Mayo Clinic, tells Yahoo. It also appears to play a key role in brain development and memory formation.

"Early in life, REM sleep plays a very important role in brain development and its networking properties," he says. It's also thought to play a role in the regulation of emotional and novel memories.

Sleep medicine clinicians find this stage important since obstructive sleep apnea typically worsens during REM sleep, St. Louis says. All of the following parasomnias can arise during REM sleep: nightmare disorder; isolated sleep paralysis; and REM sleep behavior disorder (the acting out of one's dreams), which can lead to violent sleep behaviors.

How can you get more REM sleep?

There's no scientifically proven way to improve just your REM sleep, but improving your overall sleep can help. It's important to develop a regular sleep schedule and stick to it closely, even on the weekends, experts say.

Adults generally need seven to eight hours of sleep for optimal daytime functioning, St. Louis says. To help you get a good night's rest, he recommends avoiding stimulants like caffeine or nicotine in the late afternoon and evening, as well as alcohol before bedtime. Also, make sure you're getting enough physical activity throughout the day and keeping your daytime naps short.

You should also take steps to improve your sleep environment. A warm room, ambient light and outside noises can all negatively impact your ability to sleep. Set your room temperature between 60 and 67°F (or use a fan to help keep you cool) and use tools like a sleep mask, blackout curtains, and sleep headphones or earplugs if you need to block out noise. You can also try using a sound machine, like this tried and tested Hatch Rest+ machine, and calming lavender oil.

If you suspect you have any sleep disorders that may affect your sleep, such as chronic insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea or restless legs syndrome, address them with your doctor so you can improve your quality of sleep.

What causes a lack of REM sleep?

Sleep deprivation impacts all sleep states, and it's probably the most common cause of decreased REM sleep, St. Louis says. Primary sleep disorders such as chronic insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea may also affect REM sleep.

Common medications such as antidepressants or benzodiazepine medications like diazepam (Valium) can also decrease or delay REM sleep. If those medications are used to treat a mood or anxiety disorder, decreased REM sleep is not thought to be harmful, but those medications shouldn't be continued if they're not needed, St. Louis says.

You should discuss any sleep disturbances with your doctor. You can also get evaluated at a sleep medicine center for insights into your sleep patterns.

Are sleep trackers reliable when it comes to tracking REM sleep?

In a word: no, St. Louis says. "These devices remain quite poorly validated overall for accurately detecting sleep stages, and provide accurate estimates only for total sleep time amounts." Commercial EEG devices, like the Dreem headband, likely provide better estimates than commercial sleep-tracking devices, and they have been validated against full polysomnography sleep testing, St. Louis says.

What are the other sleep stages?

You cycle through four sleep stages each night. While you already know about REM sleep, the other three are non-REM stages.

Stage 1: This is when you first fall asleep and lasts only about one to seven minutes, according to SleepFoundation.org. During this sleep cycle, you can be woken up easily because your body hasn't fully relaxed yet.

Stage 2: Once you enter this sleep cycle (also known as your light sleep stage), your breathing and heart rate slow down and your body fully relaxes. Your eye movement stops, and your brain activity helps prevent you from being woken up as easily. The first round of this sleep cycle can last up to 25 minutes but lengthens throughout the night. Half your total sleep time is spent in this stage.

Stage 3: This is your deep sleep stage. It's harder to wake up when you're cycling through this phase, which is when you get your restorative sleep and your body recovers. On average, you get around 20 to 40 minutes of deep sleep when you first enter this cycle, and shorter amounts throughout the night.

Stage 4: You enter REM sleep last during each cycle. You stay in REM sleep for 10 minutes to an hour each time. During this time, you likely have dreams as your brain is more awake.

REM sleep FAQs

How much REM sleep do you need every night?

There isn't an exact answer to this question, St. Louis says. "Generally, REM sleep comprises about 20 to 25% of sleep overall in most adults, so that would equate to around one to two hours nightly in an adult."

Why am I not getting enough REM sleep?

If you're getting more or less REM sleep than that amount each night, it doesn't mean there's a problem, especially if you're taking medications that impact REM sleep. REM sleep requirements are higher for young children than for adults, which is a normal feature of brain development..

Are REM sleep and deep sleep the same thing?

No, these are two different sleep stages. Deep sleep happens in stage 3, while REM sleep occurs in stage 4. Deep sleep is more restorative, while REM sleep plays an important role in brain development. Both REM sleep and deep sleep are important for sleep hygiene.