Passage 3Scientists at the University of California, Berkeley examined the relationship between sleepabnormalities and the brain areas related to emotions. They discovered that REM (rapid eyemovement) sleep processes emotional experiences, so that these experiences feel less painful,difficult, and emotionally charged after sleep.During sleep, the brain moves through five different stages. One of these stages is REMsleep. During this phase, the eyes move rapidly in various directions. The other four phases arereferred to as non-REM (NREM) sleep. People enter REM sleep within the first 90 minutes offalling asleep and, as the sleep cycle repeats throughout the night, REM sleep occurs several timesnightly. It accounts for approximately 20 to 25 percent of an adult’s sleep cycle, and over 50 percentof an infant’s. During REM sleep, our brain is almost as active as when we are awake. Most dreamsoccur during REM sleep, and it is thought to play a role in learning, memory, and mood.Thirty-five healthy adults who participated in the study were divided into two groups. Bothgroups were shown the same series of 150 emotionally charged images, while researchersmonitored brain activity with MRI. Each group was shown the entire series of images two times,with a 12-hour break between viewings. One group saw the images first in the morning, and again  in the afternoon, and they stayed awake during the 12-hour interim period. The other group saw theimages for the first time in the evening, followed by a full night of sleep, during which their brainactivity was monitored by electroencephalogram. Upon awakening, the second group was shownthe images a second time.They found that exposure to REM sleep had a dramatic effect on people’s reaction to theimages. People who slept between seeing the emotional images reported a decrease in the intensityof their emotional reaction the second time, compared to those who did not sleep. Brain scansduring sleep showed that during REM sleep the brain’s electrical activity slowed, essentially“soothing” the brain of stress. MRI showed a significant decrease in the region of the brain thatprocesses emotions, which corresponded with an increase in activity of the brain’s center forcognition, rational thought, and decision making.Based on these results, it is as though REM sleep allows the brain to have some control of anemotional memory. This is a single study, and we need to see more research on this subject. Butthink for a moment about the implications of these results. Sleep problems and sleep disorders—from insomnia and sleep apnea, i.e., temporary cessation of breathing, to sleep deprivation andrestless leg syndromes—can all increase risks for other health problems, from obesity to diabetes toheart disease. They also can affect mental health.One thing all sleep problems seem to have in common is in bringing about a feeling of beingoverwhelmed, or of having difficulty coping well with the demands of daily life. Irritability,emotional fatigue, distractedness, short-temperedness—these feelings are common enough withdisordered sleep as to be considered universal.
46. Which of the following is the most apt title for this article?
(A) Will REM Sleep Lead to Better Memories?
(B) Can Sleep Help Heal Painful Memories?
(C) What Is the Link Between Sleep and Memories?
(D) Are People with Sleep Problems More Emotional?