Most healthy adults need roughly 90–120 minutes of REM sleep per night, which works out to about 20–25% of a typical 7–9 hour sleep period. Children and teens spend a similar or slightly higher percentage of their sleep in REM, while newborns can spend around half of their total sleep time in REM because their brains are developing so rapidly.

Adult REM sleep needs

• For adults 18–64, general guidance is 7–9 hours of total sleep, with about one fifth to one quarter of that time in REM (around 1.5–2 hours).

• Older adults still need about 7–8 hours of sleep, but REM usually drops to roughly 15–20% of total sleep (about 60–100 minutes).

Younger people and REM

• Teenagers typically need 8–10 hours of sleep, with 20–25% in REM (about 1.5–2.5 hours).

• Babies and young children need much more total sleep and a higher fraction in REM: newborns may get 7–9 hours of REM within 14–17 total hours, while toddlers and preschoolers usually get around 2.5–3.5 hours of REM per day.

What to focus on

• There is no strict “exact” REM target for each person; experts mainly recommend getting enough total sleep, since a normal sleep cycle will naturally provide the right proportion of REM.

• If you routinely sleep less than 7 hours, have very fragmented sleep, or feel unrested despite enough hours, discussing it with a clinician or sleep specialist is recommended, as disrupted REM can be linked with mood, memory, and other health issues.