Psychological trauma : theory, research, practice and policyAug 27, 2026

How REM sleep and fear control may be linked during disrupted body clocks

Circadian Biology Weekly Brief ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗OA ↗

Updated Aug 29, 2026

Abstract

The study examines the relationship between REM sleep and fear inhibition during circadian misalignment.

REM sleep is associated with processes that inhibit fear, which are important for recovering from trauma.
Previous models of REM sleep disruption did not consider the effects of circadian timing.
Circadian misalignment is common in jobs with high trauma exposure.
The current study explores how artificially induced circadian misalignment affects the relationship between REM sleep and fear inhibition.

Simplified

Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep is implicated in fear inhibition processes critical for trauma recovery. However, prior experimental models of REM sleep disruption have lacked ecological validity by manipulating sleep without accounting for circadian timing. Circadian misalignment frequently occurs in occupations at high risk of trauma exposure. The present study examined the relationship between REM sleep and fear inhibition in the context of experimentally induced circadian misalignment.

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