Researchers believe that this is due to the role that dreaming plays in memory and processing emotions. People who experience post-traumatic stress disorder PTSD are more likely to have bad vivid dreams than people who do not. Vivid dreams and nightmares are common during pregnancy. Sometimes, the stress of preparing for delivery and parenting can contribute to this. Fluctuations in hormones can also play a role. People with depression can have vivid dreams. Themes such as poor self-image often feature.
These dreams can sometimes lead to panic attacks. People with schizophrenia or a dissociative disorder may have intense dreams during a relapse. It is also possible for people with anxiety to experience more vivid dreams.
These may feature situations of high anxiety or panic, such as running late or general embarrassment. People with narcolepsy often say that they have vivid dreams that can be bizarre or disturbing. Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder that blurs the line between sleep and wakefulness.
People with the condition feel very sleepy and fatigued during the day. Symptoms include sleep attacks, wherein a person falls asleep and experiences a sudden loss of muscle control cataplexy during the day. When someone has narcolepsy, they fall into REM sleep shortly after falling asleep. This can cause them to have vivid dreams even during a brief nap.
People with narcolepsy may also experience lucid dreaming. In lucid dreaming, a person is aware that they are dreaming, and they may also be able to control the experience. In cases such as pregnancy and short-term stress, vivid dreams will usually go away on their own.
However, there are a few ways that people can avoid having vivid dreams. These include avoiding substances such as marijuana, cocaine, and ketamine and reducing alcohol consumption. These have different stages. As with all dreams, vivid dreams happen during your deepest sleep. The stages repeat several times throughout the night, as our brain waves and activity change.
The REM cycles start about an hour and half after you fall asleep, and they tend to be longer and deeper toward morning. During REM your brain waves, breathing, and heart rate are closer to wakefulness than sleep. If your alarm goes off during a REM cycle, you may be able to recall your dreams. A painful breakup or other stressful event. A new medication. Other times, it feels like a mystery, because vivid dreams kind of are. We all dream, but some of us may be better at remembering our dreams than others.
One study even found that right-handed people were more likely to remember their dreams, for yet unknown reasons.
Any sleep disorder that shorts you on rest can increase your chances of experiencing vivid dreams. That includes sleep apnea, narcolepsy , and insomnia. And the sleep disorder known as REM sleep behavior disorder could lead to action-filled vivid dreams. One theory on dreams suggests that they reflect your real life. Talk to your healthcare provider if you take prescription medications and experience vivid dreams on the regular. Substances including ketamine, marijuana, and cocaine can lead to vivid dreams, which can also be common during the recovery and withdrawal process.
While alcohol is a depressant, it prevents you from getting good sleep, as it keeps you from entering the REM stage. Withdrawal from heavy drinking can lead to weird dreams. Talk to your doctor if you feel that your drinking has become problematic. When was your last period? Primary Care. Mental Health. More Button Icon Circle with three vertical dots. It indicates a way to see more nav menu items inside the site menu by triggering the side menu to open and close. Erin Heger. If you are having weird dreams, it may be due to stress, anxiety, or sleep deprivation.
To stop having weird dreams, try managing stress levels and sticking to a sleep routine. If you wake up from a weird dream, use deep breathing or a relaxing activity to fall back asleep. Visit Insider's Health Reference library for more advice. Erin Heger is a freelance journalist located in the Kansas City area.
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