Skeletal muscle tone in REM sleep is

Prepare for the Certification in Clinical Sleep Health exam. Use flashcards and multiple-choice questions with hints and explanations. Ace your exam!

Multiple Choice

Skeletal muscle tone in REM sleep is

REM sleep brings a strong brainstem-driven inhibition of motor neurons, leading to almost complete loss of voluntary skeletal muscle tone—to protect against acting out dreams. This state, called REM atonia, means muscles are effectively paralyzed except for certain essential activities like eye movements and breathing. So the description that best fits is an absence of skeletal muscle tone during REM sleep.

REM sleep brings a strong brainstem-driven inhibition of motor neurons, leading to almost complete loss of voluntary skeletal muscle tone—to protect against acting out dreams. This state, called REM atonia, means muscles are effectively paralyzed except for certain essential activities like eye movements and breathing. So the description that best fits is an absence of skeletal muscle tone during REM sleep.

More practice questions