Every species in which we can measure sleep stages experiences NREM sleep—the non-dreaming stage. However, insects, amphibians, fish, and most reptiles show no clear signs of REM sleep—the type associated with dreaming in humans. Only birds and mammals, which appeared later in the evolutionary timeline of the animal kingdom, have full-blown REM sleep. It suggests that dream (REM) sleep is the new kid on the evolutionary block. REM sleep seems to have emerged to support functions that NREM sleep alone could not accomplish, or that REM sleep was more efficient at accomplishing.
