Rapid eye movement sleep characteristics during and after mood-disturbing events

Twenty-nine women undergoing divorce were monitored for six nights to explore the relation of mood disturbance and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Follow-up evaluations were completed on 13 women one to two years later. The more traditional women were more depressed and had shortened REM latencies. Depression was also related to an irregular eye movement density sequence throughout the night. Although depression and REM latency were both significantly improved at follow-up, the REM latency of those initially most depressed remained at a lower than normal level and the eye movement density sequency remained irregular, suggesting some lag in the sleep response or a traitlike vulnerability to future depression.