ALL WOMEN 40+ at risk for “REM sleep deprivation”

Lack of REM (rapid-eye movement) sleep leaves millions of women exhausted and foggy— even after eight hours of shuteye. “Your body cycles through three sleep stages—light, deep and REM,” says neurologist W. Chris Winter, M.D., author of The Sleep Solution. “REM, which is when you dream, is a crucial restorative phase that needs to happen four or five times a night to bolster memory, mood regulation and pain tolerance.” But stress, inconsistent sleep schedules, common medications and hormonal changes all disrupt the phase, so nearly all women over 40 have some level of REM-sleep deprivation.

Doctors rarely diagnose REM-sleep deprivation, says Rubin Naiman, Ph.D., a sleep and dream specialist at the University of Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine in Tucson. Why? Symptoms are vague, so doctors often treat the fatigue and anxiety with antidepressants and sleep aids, both of which further suppress REM sleep.

A sleep study can diagnose REM deprivation, but if you battle fog, pain, blue moods or a sudden change in your dreams, lack of REM sleep may be to blame, and the strategies here can help. Taking 3 mg. of melatonin 30 minutes before bed ups REM sleep by 22%,

according to a study in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. Also smart: A few hours before bed, slip on glasses that are designed to block blue light (like Uvex, Amazon.com). The tinted lenses counteract the stimulating effects of the light from electronics to boost melatonin by 58%.

Skipping alcohol two hours before bed can help you reach (and stay in) REM sleep. Dr. Winter says alcohol affects brain chemicals in a way that keeps us in lighter stages of sleep, reducing the REM phase.