Do dreams affect how well we sleep?

We all dream at night, whether our dreams are remembered or not. But what are dreams really, and do they affect our sleep quality?

Dreaming 101

Each of us dreams anywhere from 3-6 times each night. Dreaming - a series of images, stories, emotions and feelings - is normal and a healthy part of sleeping. The dreams that you remember happen during the REM cycle of sleep. REM means rapid eye movement. The REM sleep happens approximately 90 minutes after you have fallen asleep and lasts around ten minutes. The brain is very active at this point and that is when the more memorable dreams happen. Now you may be wondering, why do we dream? First, let’s dive into more on what dreaming really is. 

It seems that often, dreams occur as a way for us to play out events that happened during the day. They seem to be a response to an experienced environment. If one has something stressful or particularly sad happen to them during the day, they are more likely to dream about it at night. There are now some studies that suggest dreaming helps the brain with its memory function. 

The Impact of Dreaming on Sleep

While dreaming is normal, there can be some abnormal parts of dreaming that interfere with sleep or overall mental health. For example, if you experience vivid dreams immediately after you have fallen asleep, it could be a sign of a sleep condition called narcolepsy (take our ‘Could I have narcolepsy?’ quiz here). 

Dreams do not typically negatively impact sleep, but nightmares can. The way they influence sleep is that it can make it more difficult to fall asleep and cause difficulty in moving between sleep cycles. This can make a person drowsier during the daytime. 

Night Terrors and Nightmares

Night terrors and nightmares are two different types of dreams. Night terrors show up as someone thrashing or groaning in the middle of their sleep due to a negative dream and are associated with non-REM sleep. Night terrors occur most often in children, lasting 10-30 minutes. Nightmares on the other hand are a negative type of dream that causes one to wake abruptly and is associated with the REM sleep cycle. It can happen to anyone of any age. Sleep deprivation can cause an increase in nightmares. 

There are many different things that can factor into the quality of your sleep. If you have questions about your sleep habits, bring this requisition form to your doctor to come see us for a sleep study.