![]() To learn more about supporting your sleep hygiene, please visit the rest of our dedicated Sleep Health Hub. If, however, you have distressing vivid dreams on a regular basis, you may wish to see your GP. Although vivid dreaming can be an intense experience, it’s nothing out of the ordinary. And so, it's not uncommon to dream more vividly during periods of high stress and anxiety, such as the ongoing COVID pandemic. Dreams act as a nocturnal soothing balm that helps process the day’s happenings and take the sharp edges off difficult emotional concerns. Though dreams continue to perplex sleep experts, REM sleep dreaming is widely understood to support our overall wellbeing. 13 If you experience chronic nightmares and sleep loss, it’s important to have a chat with your GP. Some people, however, live with nightmare disorder – a condition in which nightmares significantly disrupt your ability to sleep. Though unsettling, experiencing the odd nightmare is normal. ![]() Occasionally, you may experience a nightmare – vivid dreams with frightening and distressing content. It’s normal to vividly dream from time to time. Is it normal to have vivid dreams every night? Some experts postulate that higher progesterone levels in late pregnancy may be responsible for detailed, vivid dreams. Researchers have found that pregnant women in their third trimester are more vulnerable to dreaming about upsetting imagery than non-pregnant women. The hormonal and physical changes in pregnancy can lead to sleep disruptions, including those caused by vivid dreams. Some evidence suggests the spike in the hormone, progesterone, that happens just before menstruation may lead to increased vivid dreaming in women. ![]() Sleeping longer proportionally increases REM sleep – the stage in which most emotional, vivid dreams occur.Ī study conducted at The University of the West of England found that women experience more vivid dreams and nightmares than men. And relaxed schedules mean people are sleeping longer, which means more opportunities to dream. The global pandemic has also meant more time spent at home. And this might explain why many of us have been experiencing more vivid and bizarre dreams during the coronavirus pandemic, especially those concerning social distancing and COVID-19.Ī study of 100 nurses treating COVID-19 patients in Wuhan, China, reported that 45 per cent experienced nightmares – twice the lifetime rate among Chinese psychiatric outpatients and many times greater than the 5 per cent of the general population diagnosed with nightmare disorder. In challenging and stressful times, we need more REM sleep to process our emotions. Sleep scientists generally agree that REM sleep dreaming is a form of emotional first aid that provides overnight mental health therapy. 5 Another reported that antidepressants suppressed dream recall but increased the vividness and intensity of dreams when they were recollected. One study found beta-blockers and medication for Parkinson’s disease may lead to nightmares. Vivid dreaming can also be a side effect of some medications. Individuals with narcolepsy – characterised by excessive daytime fatigue – often experience strange, vivid dreams. It’s not uncommon for certain sleep disorders to cause vivid dreaming. When you stop drinking, it often leads to unusually intense and vivid dreams. 2 Frightening vivid dreams can fragment sleep, which may lead to further anxiety and stress since sleeplessness and mental health challenges are mutually reinforcing.Īlcohol suppresses REM sleep. Research has found that daytime stress and anxiety can contribute to vivid dreaming with distressing and upsetting content at night. There are many causes of vivid dreams, as we outline below. That’s why we can, every so often, recall our dreams after waking. REM cycles are generally deeper and longer in the morning. REM sleep is the principle stage in which we dream. But they can also be frightening and unsettling enough to disrupt your sleep. They can inspire feelings of joy and happiness, so much so that you may wish to return to the fantastical scenario. Vivid dreams can be both a positive and negative experience. Here, we take a closer look at what causes vivid dreams. While vivid dreams are harmless and not usually a cause for concern, they can still be intense and emotionally overwhelming. 1 Occasionally, however, we may have a clear recollection of them. Although we spend approximately two hours a night dreaming, many of us forget our dreams upon waking. Dreaming still largely mystifies experts and sleep scientists.
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