After being deprived of REM sleep, what is a common outcome when sleep is resumed uninterrupted?

• A. Increased sleep latency
• B. More REM sleep than usual
• C. Less REM sleep than usual
• D. No change in sleep pattern

Answer: (B)

When a person is deprived of REM sleep and then resumes sleep without interruptions, one of the most commonly observed outcomes is an increase in the amount of REM sleep that occurs during subsequent sleep cycles. This phenomenon is known as REM rebound. The brain has a tendency to compensate for lost REM sleep by entering this stage more quickly and for prolonged periods, resulting in more REM sleep than usual during the recovery sleep.

The increased REM sleep serves a restorative function, aligning with the body’s natural compensatory mechanisms to ensure that the necessary psychological and physiological processes that occur during REM are adequately fulfilled. This stage of sleep is crucial for various functions, including memory consolidation, emotional regulation, and overall cognitive function.

Thus, after being deprived of REM sleep, resuming uninterrupted sleep typically leads to increased durations of REM sleep, consistent with the body's drive to restore balance in its sleep architecture.