Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available. Healthline Media does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. When this happens, the entire dream experience is intensified," she notes. All rights reserved. This can be an especially concerning problem if your vivid dreams persist over time. For example, a study of individuals with REM sleep behavior disorder found melatonin supplements Cognitive behavioral therapy is commonly used to treat PTSD and can reduce nightmares in people with this diagnosis. Nightmares occur in people of all ages from time to time, though they are more common in children. But sometimes those weirdly realistic (or just plain scary) scenarios your brain cooks up while you're sleeping can be traced back to something that's going on during the day. You might try writing your dreams down as soon as you wake up. Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Both Ellis and Loewenberg note that people who are generally more sensitive tend to have more intense dreams. 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. kicking or moving violently, even jumping out of bed, disoriented and unsure where they are or whats going on. emotional processing and memory formation Although you may not often remember much or any of your dreams, more likely than not, youve had a vivid dream at some point. 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. Our team of writers, editors, and medical experts rigorously evaluates each article to ensure the information is accurate and exclusively cites reputable sources. (2014). Dr. Drerup says there is a rare condition called Charcot-Wilbrand syndrome where people dont dream at all. Mayo Clinic Staff. You typically spend about two hours each night dreaming. Doctors have several working theories as to why we dream. Difficulties real and imagined can cause a person to experience stress and anxiety in their daily life. 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. Take the Sleep Quiz to help inform your sleep improvement journey. Dreams are mental imagery or activity that occur when you sleep, explains Dr. Drerup. 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. This may seem like an extremely minor detail, but it usually has a powerful impact on the way we feel about ourselves in the future. Partial REM-sleep deprivation increases the dream-like quality of mentation from REM sleep and sleep onset. See additional information. Many people experience occasional nightmares that resolve on their own. National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information Once you've figured out what the general message of the dream is, Loewenberg says, you'll be able to make better decisions about your next steps. Some experts believe that nightmares in people with bipolar disorder may predict upcoming mood shifts. 5. 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. NINDS aims to seek fundamental knowledge about the brain and nervous system and to use that knowledge to reduce the burden of neurological disease. "There's not a lot of research regarding the meaning of dreams, but we think it's our brain's way of processing emotions from the day and should generally not be of any concern," Dr. Holliday-Bell says. Resisting sleep. These dreams may be linked to frequent waking during the REM cycle of sleep. American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) You probably won't remember weird dreams or any dreams at all after an evening of imbibing. Each guide and article includes a comprehensive bibliography with full citations and links to the original sources. Nightmares are vivid dream sequences that involve distressing events and often wake a person from sleep. (2012). You may also remember your vivid dream a lot easier than a typical dream. Nightmare disorder. Interpretations will vary depending on the individual and how theyre doing in their day-to-day lives. guide for improving your quality of sleep. "If your dreams are intense and upsetting, I always suggest paying attention to them, as they are clearly trying to get your attention," Ellis says, with Laz adding, "Dreams help alert us to what is occurring beneath the surface of our conscious minds, and through these stories, we can later reflect and bring unconscious material and make it consciouswhich can help us to feel better.". Lucid dreaming may also cause problems, including: Less sleep quality. "There are simply those whose dream lives are rich and vivid as a matter of course," she adds. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our. Dreams can offer a window into the conscious mind, subconscious mind, or even our physical health. Dreams of death, whether it's one's own or that of someone else can be unsettling and emotional. Thats the period of sleep when your brain is highly active, your eyes move rapidly behind your closed eyes and you have temporary loss of muscle tone. 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. However, sometimes, you may wake up with clear memories of your dreams. If you feel that your stress and anxiety levels are out of control, you might want to consider: Another major thing you can do is to make sure you always reserve some time for relaxation during the day so you dont feel overwhelmed. Dreams themselves are a little less mysterious. If you are concerned that medications you take may be causing vivid dreams, its important to discuss these side effects with your doctor. Especially realistic, these powerful dreams are very . For the same reason, you might experience more vivid dreams before your period. Youll have that REM rebound as well.. Historically, dreams were considered to impart wisdom or even predict the future. Thats part of the reason why theyre still kind of mysterious theyre difficult to study.. Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available. Vivid dreams are often stranger or more lifelike than the dreams you typically have. two hours per night dreaming Even if youre having a sleep study, its not like we can look in your brain and see whats happening during a dream, says Dr. Drerup. Scientists arent completely sure. Here are our top picks. Lucid dreaming means youre aware that youre dreaming while youre in the dream. Scientists know that most heavy dreaming occurs during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Women also seem to dream more during pregnancy because they are more likely to remember their dreams. Sikka, P., Pesonen, H., & Revonsuo, A. Some dreams are more intense than othersit's no wonder we've collectively decided to refer to the more intense ones as "vivid" dreams. Certain antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are most likely to do this. Like all dreams, these may be pleasant, odd, or even frightening. While most people dream in color, some dreams are entirely in black and white. They often have themes such as confrontations, being chased, or falling. She received her bachelor's in broadcasting and mass communication from State University of New York at Oswego, and lives in Buffalo, New York. What causes vivid dreams? And that can cause health problems. Our website services, content, and products are for informational purposes only. (They might raise your heart rate, too.). Nightmares are vivid dreams with frightening or unsettling content. But you have your most vivid dreams during a phase called REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, when your brain is most active. Nightmares are disturbing dreams with scary, vivid content often concerning survival or safety. "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. 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. Vivid dreams might be caused by anxiety, pregnancy or even certain medications. A Word From Verywell So what do you think? Drug safety, 16(2), 133149. Why Am I Having Weird Dreams During the Pandemic? Other factors like temperature or eating before bed can also influence dreams. They can invoke feelings of fear and anxiety, but nightmares can also cause embarrassment, anger, and disgust. Nightmares and vivid dreams may also be provoked by negative and traumatic events in a persons life. Schredl, M. (2002). If someone catches you daydreaming, they may say that you look zoned out or lost in thoughts. But its possible to remember a vivid dream long after its occurred if it seemed very intense. The jury is ultimately still out (at least from a scientific or biological POV) on why some dreams are more vivid than others, and further, why some people seem to naturally have a lot of vivid dreams while others don't. Simply put, by flexing your awareness in real life, you'll be more likely to notice when dreams get wonky, and you'll know you're dreaming. While scientists have been studying dreams for years, the images that appear while we snooze are still incredibly misunderstood. Sleep, 28(9), 10831089. The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. Wake and sleep states affect one another. A number of medications are known to increase the rate or intensity of a sleepers dreams. Sarah Regan is a Spirituality & Relationships Editor, a registered yoga instructor, and an avid astrologer and tarot reader. Common themes in recurring dreams involve: False awakenings are a type of dream occurrence where a person believes theyve woken up but actually havent. American Family Physician, 61(7), 20372042, 2044. . Imagine this. The sensory construction of dreams and nightmare frequency in congenitally blind and late blind individuals. A. DOI: Meaidi A, et al. McGrane, I. R., Leung, J. G., St Louis, E. K., & Boeve, B. F. (2015). 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. Being chased is a common theme of dreams, particularly among children. Pregnancy can trigger changes in the bodys hormone levels, sleep patterns, and emotions. At the end of the day, however, dream interpretation is still a big mystery yet to be solved. If you have recurring nightmares, it may be due to an underlying mental health condition, substance use, or certain medication. They can be, Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. Higher body temperatures and uncomfortable symptoms at night can increase wake time and reduce the amount of time spent in REM sleep. This keeps people from possibly injuring themselves by acting out their dreams. Thats a lot of time for dreaming! Many people experience occasional nightmares that resolve on their own. Levrier K, et al. Some people feel more refreshed after having slept and dreamed, even if they do not remember dreaming. "Get curious about your dreams. What about recurring dreams? Your mental healthcare provider will ask you to continue playing over the new, nonthreatening ending to the dream in your mind. (2001). Alexa Fry is a science writer with experience working for the National Cancer Institute. While we think of sleep as a time for recharging the body, the brain is actually quite active during sleep dreaming. Brain activity that occurs when were dreaming is similar to the memory processing brain activity we experience when were awake., When youre experiencing more stress or anxiety, you tend to dream more, too. Young T. (2014). "Dreams are a conversation with the selfa subconscious reaction to your currentcircumstances, behaviors, goals, struggles and relationships. But what actually qualifies as a vivid dream? Or maybe not. I don't think it's just an autistic thing though. We produce the best informational content to help improve your sleep but do not provide medical advice. With nightmare disorder, you have these really distressing nightmares that are repetitive, says Dr. Drerup. In some cases, they can be straight-up nightmares. Dreaming happens throughout the night, but our most vivid and often remembered dreams happen during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. In other scenarios, melatonin may increase REM sleep, and subsequently the chance to experience vivid dreams. . Vivid dreams can be emotionally draining, causing depression or anxiety symptoms. Dr. Drerup says that nightmares or stressful dreams for example, about being chased or being in a frightening situation are also common when youre stressed. Resistance to going to bed or to sleep for fear you'll have another bad dream. 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. Vivid dreams, therefore, might simply be a side effect of this storage process. is a sleep disorder in which nightmares interfere with ones ability to get sufficient sleep. The person then rehearses the new script in their imagination every night before falling asleep. Dreaming might help the brain eliminate any unnecessary information or memories while processing and storing whats important. While this may not work for everyone, some studies show that keeping a dream journal may help those who usually have trouble remembering their dreams. Everyone experiences stress and anxiety, but some people are better at coping with it than others. Freud thought dreams are repressed content, ideas or themes, says behavioral sleep medicine expertMichelle Drerup, PsyD, DBSM. Talking In Your Sleep? Having frequent, unpleasant vivid dreams can interfere with getting a good nights sleep. What are the side effects of vivid dreams? But they think the following factors may play a part. Fevers and illness can also impact a persons thinking and mood, leading to stranger, more negative dreams. Vivid dreams that feel very real can be triggered by various things, including melatonin supplements, stress and anxiety, sleep disorders, spicy food, and even scary movies. Nightmares are vivid dreams that may be threatening, upsetting, bizarre, or otherwise bothersome. Sleep disorders can affect all aspects of slumber, including dreaming. There are safety concerns with this., REM sleep behavior disorder can also foreshadow bigger health problems. Dreams serve an elusive function in our brain. In some cultures today, dreams are still considered to be a way of receiving messages from the spirit world. But from a medical perspective, dream interpretation is still a mystery. What to Know About Dreaming Through the Sleep Cycle, Dominique Fontaine, BSN, RN, HNB-BC, HWNC-BC, Lucid Dreaming: Controlling the Storyline of Your Dreams, The 10 Best Mattresses for Side Sleepers with Back Pain. Perlis ML, et al. All rights reserved. Everyone is doing it. While dreams can sometimes be realistic representations of waking life, dreams with bizarre or creative content can be more difficult to make sense of logically.