Slow wave sleep is critical for motor learning and specific detail acquisition, while REM sleep is associated with emotions and general themes.

“So we should really think about REM sleep and slow wave sleep as both critical. Slow wave sleep for motor learning and detailed learning. REM sleep for attaching of emotions to particular experiences.”

“Learning of those skills is happening primarily during slow wave sleep in the early part of the night.”

“Slow wave sleep early in the night. It's been shown to be important for motor learning and for detailed learning.”

“And as we'll see, one can actually leverage their daytime activities in order to access more slow wave sleep or non REM sleep as we'll call it, or more REM sleep depending on your particular emotional and physical needs.”

“REM sleep for attaching of emotions to particular experiences. And then for making sure that the emotions are not attached to the wrong experiences and for unlearning emotional responses if they're too intense or severe.”

“And what studies have shown through some kind of sadistic experiments, where people are deprived specifically of slow wave sleep-- and that can be done by waking them up as soon as the electrode recordings show that they're in slow wave sleep or by chemically altering their sleep so that it biases them away from slow wave sleep. What studies have shown is that motor learning is generally occurring in slow wave sleep.”

“Slow wave sleep is critical, however. It's critical mostly for motor learning and the learning of specific details. So REM is kind of emotions and general themes and meaning. And slow wave sleep-- motor learning and details.”

“slow wave sleep early in the night has been shown to be important for motor learning and for detailed learning.”

“So we should really think about REM sleep and slow wave sleep as both critical-- slow wave sleep for motor learning and detailed learning, REM sleep for attaching of emotions to particular experiences, and then for making sure that the emotions are not attached to the wrong experiences and for unlearning emotional responses if they're too intense or severe.”