SOMA Living June 2025

POWER OF SLEEP In 1952, Eugene Aserinsky, a graduate student at the University of Chicago, significantly advanced the understanding of sleep. He studied the eye movements of sleeping infants and observed periods when their eyes darted beneath their eyelids, alongside brainwaves akin to those in wakefulness. Between these active phases were longer periods of still eyes and calm brainwaves.

divided NREM sleep into four stages, each crucial for organizing information and maintaining optimal brain function for the next day. While REM sleep often captures attention due to its link to dreaming, NREM sleep proves vital for executive functioning. While many associate REM sleep with dreaming, the reasoning behind dreams remains less commonly understood. Dr. Matthew Walker, author of “Why We Sleep,” suggests that dreams act as a period of

overnight therapy. He highlights REM sleep as the only time when the brain lacks noradrenaline, a stress related chemical. Walker proposes that dreams help recall key memories in a secure environment free from noradrenaline, allowing us to forget the painful aspects of these memories. Through this emotional healing, the brain can eventually revisit memories without experiencing associated pain. Dreams—nature’s ultimate form of therapy!

This marked a foundational moment in sleep science, as Aserinsky identified the two cycles of sleep: Rapid Eye Movement (REM) and Non-Rapid Eye Movement (NREM) sleep. Since then, researchers have

Bryan Umiker is the Founder & Owner of the Ethical Mattress Company, and a Maplewood resident since 2001. His career spans 20+ years in the Sleep space, including time as a Buyer and Vice President for Bloomingdale’s, Bed Bath & Beyond, and Casper.

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