What phase of sleep is characterized by the absence of rapid eye movement?

NREM sleep is characterized by the absence of rapid eye movement and is divided into several stages, which include light sleep and deep sleep. This phase is essential for restorative processes in the body, providing a time when physical recovery and growth occur, along with energy conservation and immune system strengthening. During NREM sleep, brain activity is significantly different from REM sleep, which is associated with dreaming and increased brain activity.

In this context, deep sleep is a stage within NREM sleep but is not the entirety of the NREM phase. Light sleep is also a component of NREM, but the distinction that NREM sleep encompasses all non-REM stages and notably lacks the rapid eye movement differentiates it from the other options, which specifically reference those stages where REM occurs. Thus, identifying NREM sleep as the answer accurately depicts the state of sleep lacking rapid eye movement.