SUMMARY EEG spectral power was studied during periods of rapid eye movements (REMs) and tonic intervals in REM sleep of 7 young and 7 older male subjects. Significant symmetrical decreases in alpha and betal power at central and occipital sites, concurrent with an increase in frontal theta power, were observed during the production of REMs. The former findings are discussed as sleep analogues to changes in alpha and betal during waking, showing increased information processing and behavioural activation, and that of theta is tentatively presented as reflecting an increase in afferent thresholds. Independent of the phasic‐tonic REM distinction, total EEG power markedly decreased as a function of time of night and did not interact with age. Significant age differences in the overall spectral composition of the EEG were obtained, namely, a lower level of delta power and a relative shift towards more power in frequencies above 12 Hz for the older group. Further, older subjects also demonstrated a more uniform topographical distribution of alpha and sigma po