MAY 13, 2025 — Many of us don’t get enough sleep, and it could be taking a toll on our mental health. UTSA researcher Dr. Itamar Lerner is exploring how REM sleep, the dream-heavy stage of rest, affects the risk of PTSD in first responders. His findings suggest that those who get more REM sleep before experiencing trauma may be better equipped to handle stress and reduce PTSD symptoms.
Partnering with local emergency agencies, researchers at the UTSA Sleep and Memory Computational Lab are uncovering how sleep patterns shape emotional resilience. Check out the full video interview to learn more about how your sleep could be protecting your mind.