Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Sleep-Wake Cycles01:24

Sleep-Wake Cycles

Sleep is an essential physiological process vital to maintaining overall well-being. The reticular activating system (RAS), a network of neurons in the brainstem, regulates wakefulness and sleep. While it may seem passive, sleep consists of distinct cycles, each with its unique characteristics and functions. Two key sleep phases are non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and  rapid eye movement (REM).
NREM Sleep
NREM sleep comprises four progressive stages that seamlessly merge:
Stages of Sleep01:22

Stages of Sleep

Sleep progresses through distinct stages, each characterized by specific brain wave patterns and physiological responses ranging from wakefulness to stages of non-rapid eye movement, known as non-REM, to rapid eye movement, referred to as REM. Understanding these stages helps in recognizing how sleep supports various bodily and cognitive functions.
Before sleep begins, in wakefulness, the brain exhibits primarily beta waves, which are high in frequency and low in amplitude, indicating alertness...
Understanding Sleep01:11

Understanding Sleep

Sleep, an essential biological state, involves significant reductions in physical activity, sensory awareness, and interaction with the environment. This complex physiological process is primarily regulated by specific brain regions, notably the hypothalamus and pons, which govern the sleep-wake cycle or circadian rhythm.
The circadian rhythm, a nearly 24-hour cycle, is deeply influenced by environmental light cues. Light exposure directly affects the hypothalamus, which in turn regulates...
REM Sleep Behavior Disorder01:15

REM Sleep Behavior Disorder

REM Sleep Behavior Disorder (RBD) is a sleep disorder characterized by the absence of muscle paralysis that normally occurs during the REM phase of sleep. This absence allows individuals to physically act out their dreams, which are often vivid and disturbing. Common behaviors exhibited during episodes include kicking, punching, and yelling. These actions can be dangerous, potentially leading to injuries for the person with RBD or their bed partner.
RBD is significantly associated with...
Insufficient Sleep and Sleep Deprivation01:13

Insufficient Sleep and Sleep Deprivation

Insufficient sleep refers to not getting the recommended amount of sleep for optimal functioning, even if it's just slightly less than needed. Sleep insufficiency may occur due to lifestyle choices, such as staying up late for social events or work, resulting in routinely getting less sleep than required. For example, consistently sleeping 6 hours when the body needs 7-9 hours can lead to cumulative effects on health and well-being.
Sleep deprivation is a more severe form of sleep loss...
Management of Insomnia01:19

Management of Insomnia

The sleep cycle, an integral part of human health, consists of several stages with distinct characteristics and functions. It begins with a transition from wakefulness to sleep, known as the light sleep phase, followed by the restorative deep sleep phase, essential for physical recovery and growth. The cycle concludes with the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) phase, characterized by high brain activity and vivid dreaming. Insomnia, a prevalent sleep disorder, involves difficulty falling asleep, staying...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Comorbidity of Nightmares in U.S. Military Personnel With Insomnia, Obstructive Sleep Apnea, or Co-Morbid Insomnia and Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

Military medicine·2026
Same author

Sleep health profiles of young adult college students: A latent profile analysis.

Journal of psychiatric research·2026
Same author

Considering Substance Use in Dysfunctional Beliefs About Sleep: Validation of the DBAS-S.

Behavioral sleep medicine·2026
Same author

Stress and cardiovascular disease: Testing a vigilance pathway in two contemporary theories.

Health psychology : official journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association·2026
Same author

Design and Recruitment for the Comparative Effectiveness of Zolpidem/Trazodone and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (COZI) Study in Rural Adults.

Behavioral sleep medicine·2026
Same author

Digital Cognitive Behavioral Treatment of Insomnia in Youth: Protocol for an RCT Examining Feasibility, Acceptability, and Efficacy of LAMBI.

Behavioral sleep medicine·2026
Same journal

The misclassification of periodic limb movement disorder: A systematic review applying research diagnostic criteria.

Sleep medicine reviews·2026
Same journal

Letter to the editor: Attrition as a proxy for acceptability in digital CBTi: Conceptual limitations and methodological priorities.

Sleep medicine reviews·2026
Same journal

Association of media use with sleep of children and adolescents: an umbrella review.

Sleep medicine reviews·2026
Same journal

Beyond respiratory control in COMISA: Towards precision phenotyping in PAP-based therapies.

Sleep medicine reviews·2026
Same journal

The potential of clustering methods for pre-test triage in sleep medicine: A systematic review.

Sleep medicine reviews·2026
Same journal

Assessing the effects of non-invasive transcranial electrical stimulation (tACS and tDCS) on electrophysiological sleep parameters - a systematic review.

Sleep medicine reviews·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 4, 2026

Measuring Neural Mechanisms Underlying Sleep-Dependent Memory Consolidation During Naps in Early Childhood
08:20

Measuring Neural Mechanisms Underlying Sleep-Dependent Memory Consolidation During Naps in Early Childhood

Published on: October 2, 2019

Nonrestorative sleep.

Kristen C Stone1, Daniel J Taylor, Christina S McCrae

  • 1Clinical Psychology Training Consortium, Brown Medical School, Providence, RI 02912, USA. Kristen_Stone@Brown.edu

Sleep Medicine Reviews
|June 10, 2008
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Nonrestorative sleep (NRS) lacks a clear definition, limiting research conclusions. Defining NRS as feeling unrefreshed despite normal sleep duration is recommended for better understanding and diagnosis.

More Related Videos

The Sleep Nullifying Apparatus: A Highly Efficient Method of Sleep Depriving Drosophila
06:06

The Sleep Nullifying Apparatus: A Highly Efficient Method of Sleep Depriving Drosophila

Published on: December 14, 2020

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 4, 2026

Measuring Neural Mechanisms Underlying Sleep-Dependent Memory Consolidation During Naps in Early Childhood
08:20

Measuring Neural Mechanisms Underlying Sleep-Dependent Memory Consolidation During Naps in Early Childhood

Published on: October 2, 2019

The Sleep Nullifying Apparatus: A Highly Efficient Method of Sleep Depriving Drosophila
06:06

The Sleep Nullifying Apparatus: A Highly Efficient Method of Sleep Depriving Drosophila

Published on: December 14, 2020

Area of Science:

  • Sleep Medicine
  • Neurology
  • Psychiatry

Background:

  • Nonrestorative sleep (NRS) is a subjective experience of feeling unrefreshed upon waking.
  • Despite its prevalence, NRS lacks a standardized operational definition in scientific literature and diagnostic manuals.
  • This ambiguity hinders the interpretation of research findings and clinical implications.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review empirical findings on the varying definitions of nonrestorative sleep (NRS).
  • To highlight the limitations imposed by the lack of a standardized definition for NRS.
  • To propose a clear definition for NRS based on current empirical evidence.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic review of empirical studies investigating nonrestorative sleep.
  • Analysis of existing diagnostic criteria and research definitions of NRS.
  • Synthesis of correlations between NRS and associated symptoms like daytime impairment and fatigue.

Main Results:

  • The review identified significant variability in how nonrestorative sleep (NRS) is defined across studies.
  • A substantial percentage of the population reports feeling unrefreshed, which correlates with daytime impairment, pain, and fatigue.
  • Causal links between NRS and these symptoms, including electroencephalogram (EEG) arousals, remain unsubstantiated.

Conclusions:

  • The lack of a standardized definition for nonrestorative sleep (NRS) limits the conclusions drawn from current research.
  • Conceptualizing NRS as a primary insomnia symptom is empirically unsupported.
  • A proposed definition for NRS is: persistently feeling unrefreshed upon awakening with normal sleep duration, in the absence of a sleep disorder.