Changes to your sleep schedule, such as flying overseas (and going to sleep at a different time) or getting less sleep than usual, can also increase this risk. Freud thought dreams are repressed content, ideas or themes, says behavioral sleep medicine expertMichelle Drerup, PsyD, DBSM. See additional information. We dont have the kind of steady, calm respiration that we do during other stages of non-REM sleep., Researchers find it challenging to analyze dreams because we often dont remember them. Why Am I Having Weird Dreams During the Pandemic? . Find the best adjustable mattress for your needs with one of our top five picks. These include some prescription sleep aids, stimulants, psychiatric medicines, and certain blood pressure medications. (2018). These include peer-reviewed journals, government reports, academic and medical associations, and interviews with credentialed medical experts and practitioners. The dream could mean a whole lot of different things., Although experiences you have in a dream might be based on real-life events, that doesnt mean your dreams are always realistic. And what does it mean when you dream about someone? Healthline Media does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The two main stages of sleep are rapid eye movement (REM) and non-REM sleep. Plagiarism is never tolerated. and the delay in dreaming sleep could lead to vivid and bizarre . National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information. Most dreams are predominantly visual, meaning that images are at the forefront of dreams, rather than other senses like smell or touch. After all, when you're aware you're dreamingand potentially even able to manipulate your dreamsit tapers the intensity down a bit. Vivid dreams are ones that stick to your memory. These are common scenarios in dreams triggered, Recurring nightmares mean that you have frequent nightmares that are either exactly the same content, or unfold with similar themes. Dreams can offer a window into the conscious mind, subconscious mind, or even our physical health. Cleveland Clinic 1995-2023. These are vibrant, realistic, and sometimes intense dreams that can stay with someone long after they wake up. For people with bipolar disorder, dreams about death and bodily harm may predict a shift to a manic phase, while decreased dreaming can precede a depressive phase. At the end of the day, however, dream interpretation is still a big mystery yet to be solved. Dreaming happens throughout the night, but our most vivid and often remembered dreams happen during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. You can also send us an email. The content on this website is for informational purposes only. Common themes in recurring dreams involve: False awakenings are a type of dream occurrence where a person believes theyve woken up but actually havent. The Sleep Foundation editorial team is dedicated to providing content that meets the highest standards for accuracy and objectivity. But other factors can affect the quality of your dreams too. Although dreaming occurs during all phases of sleep, the most intense, complex, and vivid dreams occur during REM sleep. These are common themes that many people dream about. For example, if someone recently lost their job, a certain dream about not being able to find their shoes might mean something very different to them versus someone who recently went through a divorce., Dreaming that youre pregnant in other words, involved with a new life is also subjective. So they're more prone to having vivid dreams and remembering them upon waking. But its possible to remember a vivid dream long after its occurred if it seemed very intense. Artificial Sweetener Erythritols Major Health Risks, Best Ingredients and Products for Your Anti-Aging Skin Care Routine. DOI: Meaidi A, et al. For starters, going to bed and waking up at the same time every day (yes, even on the weekends) will get your sleep schedule back on track and help you sleep more soundly. "This could mean waking during a REM stage, which increases the chance that an individual would remember the dream," she explains. Dreams can be vivid for those who suffer from depression. Scientists know that most heavy dreaming occurs during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Nightmares are vivid dreams with frightening or unsettling content. Dreams can be very strange and thats totally normal. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Strokes (NINDS). You typically spend about two hours each night dreaming. (1993). Pretty interesting it oc." Longer, more complex and more negative dreams are a common side effect of narcolepsy, the chronic sleep disorder marked by daytime drowsiness and sudden attacks of sleep, according to a May 2015 review in Sleep. "Some medications have this effect too," Ellis notes. This dream recall is greatest when people awaken from a dream during the rapid eye-movement (REM) stage of sleep. Youre enjoying a deep, restful snooze when suddenly you startle awake. If you're experiencing stress, anxiety, depression, or emotional trauma, you may be more prone to vivid bad dreams. The Sleep Foundation fact-checking guidelines are as follows: We spend about Almost everyone has nightmares from time to time and theres not always a good reason why. SSRI treatment suppresses dream recall frequency but increases subjective dream intensity in normal subjects. All Rights Reserved. Then, its more likely the dream will reoccur.. Mental health conditions linked to nightmares include: Nightmares have the strongest connection with PTSD. In other scenarios, melatonin may increase REM sleep, and subsequently the chance to experience vivid dreams. She has a decade of experience in the study of disease. National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information We'll also go over what to look for when shopping. 1 There are two recognized stages of sleep: Non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep: In NREM sleep, your dreams are basic with simple imagery, concepts, and ideas. A lucid dream occurs when a person is asleep but aware that they are dreaming. Running short on shut-eye can up the intensity of your dreams. Dreams that are vivid generally occur during REM sleep and could also be due to fragmented sleep, sleep deprivation, a sleep disorder, stress, pregnancy, or a medication you are taking. Each week Dr. Breus will pick a few questions to answer in our weekly video series, Wake Up Wednesday. While dreaming is nearly a universally shared human experience, the exact purpose of dreaming is not understood. Dreaming, 12, 1726. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our. Thats part of the reason why theyre still kind of mysterious theyre difficult to study.. And like alcohol, she says, as your body adjusts to a new medication, the intense dreaming should settle down, though if it doesn't, you might consult your doctor. But vivid dreams can be problematic if they're interfering with your ability to function during the day or fall asleep at night, according to the Mayo Clinic. When people sleep, their brains remain somewhat active, even though their minds are largely unconscious. In particular, guided remembering and reimaging of the traumatic event may help to lower the frequency of recurring nightmares. Many pregnant women say they experience vivid dreams, especially during the early days of their pregnancy. Normally, vivid dreams are nothing to worry about. Some potential causes of nightmares include: People experiencing a lot of stress or who have mental health conditions like anxiety disorders may experience dreams that are more frightening. The deep and restorative sleepyou've always dreamt about*. They can invoke feelings of fear and anxiety, but nightmares can also cause embarrassment, anger, and disgust. Some common side effects of vivid dreams include: It isnt always possible to pinpoint an exact cause of vivid dreams. Do some of these dream interpretations seem accurate? How daydreaming relates to life satisfaction, loneliness, and social support: The importance of gender and daydream content. For example, the same type of dream might be more common in Germany., Determining what dreams mean is a big question, one that doctors, researchers and scientists are still trying to answer. Lucid dreamers, for example, can use their lucidity in dreams to master skills, flex their creativity, and explore their subconsciousand it will all be very vivid because of that lucid state. Healthline tried out the new bed at a, Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. Nightmares and disorders of dreaming. Dreams are mental imagery or activity that occur when you sleep, explains Dr. Drerup. You. Vivid dreams can happen to anyone. One such drug is Prozac (fluoxetine), which also makes you more likely to recall your dreams. If you dream of something happening and then it occurs later, you may feel youve had a prophetic dream. A number of prescription medications are currently available to treat PTSD-related nightmare disorder, including certain antidepressants, antipsychotics, and blood pressure medicines. Journal of sleep research, 10(2), 129142. As aforementioned, nightmares are often very vivid because they're so emotionally charged. So an upsetting, vivid dream is similar to you sending a strongly worded letter of concern to yourself," she explains. Its no wonder, then, that many people find it fascinating to explore the meaning of dreams. We only cite reputable sources when researching our guides and articles. For some people, nightmares are more than just a temporary scare. All rights reserved. 5. SleepFoundation.org is not affiliated with the National Sleep Foundation, an independent nonprofit based in Washington, DC. These are known as vivid dreams. But no matter the theme or the feeling they provoke, they all have one thing in common: They're intense , and they tend to stick with you. The same goes for when your sleep gets interrupted or if you're dealing with changes to your sleep schedule, per the Mayo Clinic. Night terrors are much more common in children, who experience more non-REM sleep, while nightmares can affect those at any age. She received her bachelor's in broadcasting and mass communication from State University of New York at Oswego, and lives in Buffalo, New York. While theres not a lot of scientific information on healing dreams, theyve been described as dreams that: Prophetic dreams are thought to be dreams that have foretold a future event. Though as Ellis notes, we can have very positive vivid dreams as well. Interpretations will vary depending on the individual and how theyre doing in their day-to-day lives. During REM sleep, your muscles are typically paralyzed, so you dont act out dreams, says Dr. Drerup. Though according to Ellis, Laz, and Loewenberg, you're better off thinking about your dreams as messengers than inherently good or bad. Vivid dreams can be emotionally draining, causing depression or anxiety symptoms. What does that mean? Thus, dream recall is lower for these types of vivid dreams. The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. Sometimes they may only affect you during a certain part of your life. DOI: Saunders DT, et al. Sarah Regan is a Spirituality & Relationships Editor, and a registered yoga instructor. While were all dreaming while we sleep, there may be times when youre more likely to experience certain types of dreams or remember them more often. (2019). One of my goals is to develop my art skills enough to recreate interesting stills/scenes of my dreams. This dream recall is greatest when people awaken from a dream during the rapid eye-movement (REM) stage of sleep. This keeps people from possibly injuring themselves by acting out their dreams. We'll explore these and other questions about dreaming while blind. The impact of dreams of the deceased on bereavement: a survey of hospice caregivers. But if your vivid dreams are causing you emotional distress or physical problems, you might benefit from medical treatment or lifestyle modifications. If you are concerned that medications you take may be causing vivid dreams, its important to discuss these side effects with your doctor. People living with REM sleep behavior disorder, however, actually arent paralyzed meaning they can move in their sleep while dreaming. If you are experiencing serious medical symptoms, please see the All rights reserved. The types of dreams you have also change. Vivid dreams can be categorized into different types, depending on their content and what happens to a person during the dream state. Several treatment and therapy options can help to reduce the frequency or severity of vivid dreams. If you keep dreaming of a car accident, for example, while you're awake, you would imagine yourself in the dream, and rather than getting into an accident, imagine you reach your destination safely. In some cases, you may be able to control the dreams storyline. Nightmare frequency, nightmare distress and the efficiency of trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder. Pregnancy can trigger changes in the bodys hormone levels, sleep patterns, and emotions. What causes vivid dreams? emotional processing and memory formation, American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM). Night terrors most commonly happen during non-REM sleep, while nightmares typically happen during REM sleep. Nightmare disorder may cause: Excessive daytime sleepiness, which can lead to difficulties at school or work, or problems with everyday tasks, such as driving and concentrating. "The main technique [to practicing lucidity] is through becoming more self-aware in waking life so that reflective meta-thinking naturally carries through into your dream life," Laz explains. We regularly assess how the content in this article aligns with current scientific literature and expert recommendations in order to provide the most up-to-date research. But watching or reading something scary can still trigger feelings of anxiety or stress, which can spill over into your dreams. Some lucid dreamers are able to influence the content of their dreams. Most of the time, they dont remember dreams from the night terror. Thats a lot of time for dreaming! Like most dreams, it often happens during REM sleep. This disorder can be debilitating, as youre often very tired during the day. Sleeping issues that cause a lack of sleep, such as insomnia and narcolepsy, can increase ones risk of experiencing vivid dreams. Lucid dreaming may also cause problems, including: Less sleep quality. NINDS aims to seek fundamental knowledge about the brain and nervous system and to use that knowledge to reduce the burden of neurological disease. Lara-Carrasco, J., Simard, V., Saint-Onge, K., Lamoureux-Tremblay, V., & Nielsen, T. (2014). A person might be distorted in the dream, or in a situation or place where they wouldnt normally be, notes Dr. Drerup. That dreaming may represent important cognitive functioning. Dreaming might help the brain eliminate any unnecessary information or memories while processing and storing whats important. Or do we remember it so well because it was vivid? Dr. Drerup says its not always an issue, but can be in certain situations. Disturbed dreaming during the third trimester of pregnancy. Improve your sleep hygiene and get more restful sleep by: Its still unclear why some people have more vivid dreams or remember more of their dreams. "Get curious about your dreams. Overindulging a bit too much can exacerbate nightmares. Some experts say we dream at . False awakenings in light of the dream protoconsciousness theory: A study in lucid dreamers. Drug-induced sleep disturbances. (More on that later.) Why do we dream? A standard dream will vary depending on the individual, but below are some features of dreams: Nightmares are dreams that are scary or disturbing. Like other nightmares, they may be due to stress or anxiety. People who are stressed or anxious during the day are more likely to have distressing dreams, since waking experiences are likely to be reflected in dreams. AASM sets standards and promotes excellence in sleep medicine health care, education, and research. "I woke up this morning and I feel much better. The vivid dreams are your brain's way of making up for lost sleep, which it does during the REM stage of sleep, says Dr. Holliday-Bell. Vivid dreams don't always have a clear culprit. With nightmare disorder, you have these really distressing nightmares that are repetitive, says Dr. Drerup. Either way, if you've always been good at remembering your dreams, your ability to recall them in greater detail will make them feel more vivid when you think about them while awake. Doctors have several working theories as to why we dream. Dreams serve an elusive function in our brain. Want to read more about all our experts in the field? Buzzi G. (2011). But one thing is for sure: We all dream if we sleep long enough, even if you don't remember. Imagine this. Some dreams are more intense than othersit's no wonder we've collectively decided to refer to the more intense ones as "vivid" dreams. View Source The average adult should get between seven and nine hours of sleep per night for optimal health. Nightmares can be terrifying and have lingering effects even when youre awake. It allows you to control the dream and may help conditions, like PTSD and, Lucid dreaming happens when youre aware that youre dreaming. Up to 71 percent of people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may experience nightmares, which can be recurring if not treated. Sleep, 28(9), 10831089. If you are experiencing sleep loss due to chronic nightmares, it is important to speak with your doctor. Around 50% of people have had at least one lucid dream, and about 20% have at least one lucid dream per month. A Word From Verywell So what do you think? National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) Eating well, maintaining a healthy weight, getting enough sleep, maintaining a regular sleep schedule, drinking enough water, and looking after your mental health can help prevent vivid dreams. Partial REM-sleep deprivation increases the dream-like quality of mentation from REM sleep and sleep onset. They have a sleep disorder called nightmare disorder. Physical illnesses, like heart disease and cancer, have also been associated with vivid dreams. These dreams may be linked to frequent waking during the REM cycle of sleep. Vivid dreams may be fantastical, leaving you wondering how your brain could have conjured such a strange scenario. Vivid dreams, therefore, might simply be a side effect of this storage process. Starting at $9,999, the price tag for the new climate-controlled Sleep Number bed is steep - but is it worth it? They're very insightful and will be relevantto, and make sense when, applied to the real-life issue you already pinpointed," she adds. The purpose of REM sleep is still uncertain, but some sleep researchers believe it is important for forming memories. Researchers aren't completely certain why we dream but they've figured out that it's something to do with how we store our memories. Withdrawing from certain medications can also cause more nightmares. Talking In Your Sleep? It can be harder to fall asleep when you're stressed, which can cause you to become sleep-deprived and lead to weirder or more intense dreams when you finally do nod off. Relationship between dreaming and memory reconsolidation. In some cases, you may be able to control the dreams storyline. From an evolutionary standpoint, it happened because it was more protective for us to not be able to move when dreaming.. Thanks for the feedback - we're glad you found our work instructive! Sleep researcher Rebecca Robbins, Ph.D., has previously told mbg that sleeping in a room 70F or higher makes us "more prone to worrisome dreams and fitful sleep," and a big meal before bed can disrupt our sleep enough that we're more likely to recall our dreams in greater detail upon waking up. Nightmares in turn can lead to disturbed and fragmented sleep. A neurologist responds to an eighth-graders questions. AASM sets standards and promotes excellence in sleep medicine health care, education, and research. Our website services, content, and products are for informational purposes only. This will level out eventually, she explains. Melatonin therapy for REM sleep behavior disorder: A critical review of evidence. This therapy is designed to reduce a persons frequency of vivid dreams especially nightmares. Using alcohol in excess, using recreational drugs, or experiencing a withdrawal from drugs can trigger vivid dreams, often nightmares. What dreams mean is still a scientific mystery, but heres what we do know about nightmares, sleep disorders and why we dream. ", Bobbi Brown, For starters, Dr. Drerup says you also tend to dream more in REM sleep. Other factors like temperature or eating before bed can also influence dreams. But Dr. Drerup stresses that dream interpretation is subjective. False awakenings have been noted to occur alongside lucid dreams and sleep paralysis. In some cases, vivid dreams may give clues about health conditions. In this state, events of the day may be replayed by the brain and can seep into our sleep in the form of dreams. Being chased is a common theme of dreams, particularly among children. Dreams of death, whether it's one's own or that of someone else can be unsettling and emotional. Theres no way, you might be thinking, but thats only because we forget more than 95 percent of all dreams. Therapist and dream expert Leslie Ellis, Ph.D., tells mbg that nightmares are a "prototypical vivid dream," though vivid dreams aren't always bad. Ellis says light sleepers, as well, are also known to have more vivid dreams. A. Our dreams can be soothing or scary, mysterious or helpful, and realistic or fantastical. This ability does not seem to be related to any particular personality traits, gender, or age. Recurring dreams are dreams that repeat more than once. Peace of mind and anxiety in the waking state are related to the affective content of dreams. One study showed that combat veterans whod had nightmares before their deployment were more likely to develop PTSD symptoms after six months of active duty. Several types of sleep disorders involve vivid dreams alongside the sleep disruptions or unusual behaviors they can cause. But they think the following factors may play a part. Image by mbg creative X Aleksandra Jankovic / Stocksy. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. The main difference between a daydream and all other types of dreams is that youre awake during a daydream. Some of the most common dream themes are about: Dreaming about specific things like this could mean many things, or as some researchers believe, be completely nonsensical. A number of medications are known to increase the rate or intensity of a sleepers dreams. emotional processing and memory formation Certain antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are most likely to do this.
