Dreams: Why do we have them and what do they mean?
Everyone dreams every night, yet 95% of dreams are forgotten before we wake in the morning. The ones that are remembered can be entertaining, fun, adventurous, vivid and often bizarre. Yet there is still much about sleep and dreams that remain a mystery for experts. Even the question of why we dream is one yet to be answered. However there are studies that can help us to understand what triggers intense dreams and the health benefits of dreaming.
What are dreams?
Whether you remember your dreams or not, everyone dreams anywhere from 3 to 6 times each night. Dreams are a series of images, stories, emotions and feelings that occur throughout the stages of sleep. The dreams that you remember happen during the REM (rapid eye movement) cycle of sleep. REM sleep happens approximately 90-120 minutes after you have fallen asleep and lasts around ten minutes. The brain is very active at this point and is when our more memorable dreams happen. Dreams can occur as a way for us to play out events and process things that have happened during the day.
Do dreams affect our sleep quality?
Sleep helps your brain absorb new information and consolidating memories. If you experience vivid dreams immediately after you have fallen asleep, it could be a sign of a sleep condition called narcolepsy.
Nightmares can make it more difficult to fall asleep and cause difficulty in moving between sleep cycles. Research shows that those who have negative dreams also have higher rates of stress during the day and are more likely to have sleep disorders. Likewise, those who have positive dreams are less likely to have sleep disorders.
When someone is sleep deprived there is a greater sleep intensity, meaning greater brain activity during sleep; dreaming is definitely increased and likely more vivid. Less Sleep = more dreams.
What are the health benefits of dreams?
Some studies suggest dreaming can help the brain with its memory function. Dreaming can also help with cognition and your ability to process events.
However why we dream is still a common topic of debate among experts. Considerable evidence points to dreams playing a role in facilitating brain functions like memory and emotional processing. Dreams appear to be an important part of normal, healthy sleep. At the same time though, nightmares can disrupt sleep and even affect a person during their waking hours.
How can you stop bad dreams and nightmares?
Behavioral therapy and/or medications
Improving habits and sleep hygiene can help reduce bad dreams.
Practice relaxation techniques to minimize stress and anxiety, both of which can provoke nightmares.
Give yourself time to wind down before bed in a calm and comforting bedroom environment.
Avoid screen time for an hour or more before bed, and make sure not to watch scary or bothersome content at night
Avoid drinking alcohol, which affects your REM sleep, in the evening and especially before bed
Keep a consistent sleep schedule, even on weekends, to avoid sleep deprivation, which can spur more REM sleep and intense dreaming.