Whatever you call them- visions, delusions, illusions, fantasy or night mares; dreams are those stories you experience in your REM sleep. They are stories and images that our minds create while we sleep. Whoa! The brain is such a powerful tool and that's why you should prioritize taking care of it. Do not let anything play around with your mental health.
Alot of mystery but also science surrounds dreams.
In this article:
- What are dreams
- What causes dreams
- Types of dreams
- Meanings of dreams
- Effect of dreams
- Control of dreams
We are simply delving into the dreams world!
What are dreams?
Dreams are basically stories created and visualized by our brains during sleep. They could be related to your day's experience or not.
What causes dreams?
The causes of dreams are still baffling the minds of scientists. Therefore the causes of dreams are still in theory. Some theories suggest that dreams happen to aid memory consolidation and emotional processing during sleep.
Other theories suggest that dreams happen due to psychological, biological, and environmental elements. Stress, emotions, recent experiences, and unresolved thoughts.
Other theories suggest that dreams are random signals that the brain interprets and visualizes as stories that may or may not have any connection with one's real life.
Types of dreams
There are quite a number of dreams. However in this article, we shall talk about two most important tyes of dreams.
- Night mares
Nightmares are distressing and vivid dreams that evoke fear, anxiety, or terror. They often wake the dreamer, and the content can involve threatening situations or events. Nightmares are much more common in children than adults.
A number of factors can contribute to nightmares; stress, trauma, certain medications, and sleep disorders.
- Lucid dreams
Lucid dreams are a type of dream where the dreamer becomes aware that they are dreaming amid the dream. The dreamer usually has some level of control over the dream characters, the narrative, or environment; however, the extent of control can vary widely.
Lucid dreaming can be induced and initiated for creative exploration, problem-solving, or simply for the unique and immersive experience it offers during sleep. Techniques like reality checks and keeping dream journals can help induce lucid dreams.
Meanings of dreams
Dream interpretation is subjective. Various cultures and individuals may have different beliefs and interpretations about different dreams. However, this article gives you the general interpretation for common dream themes:
- Dreams while flying
These are often interpreted as a sense of freedom or a sense of empowerment. Could reflect either the desire of freedom or the realization of it.
- Dreams while falling
These are often interpreted to symbolize a loss of control, fear of failure, or a sense of insecurity.
- Dreams of walking nude or arriving late
These dreams signify social concerns such as fear of embarrassment.
- Dreams of teeth falling out
Such dreams are linked to concerns about one's appearance, confidence, or fear of losing power.
- Dreams of getting lost
Such dreams reflect a feeling of uncertainty, confusion, or a fear of losing direction in life.
Effect of dreams
Dreams have both positive and negative effects; just depends on what type of dream.
Sleep quality
Because dreams happen while we sleep, it is very definite they have the ability to affect the quality of sleep one gets. Intense or vivid dreams may lead to disruptions in the sleep cycle, consequently affecting the depth of sleep.
Memory consolidation
Science established that dreams play a big role in memory consolidation. The brain by nature processes and consolidates information from the day. Dreaming is thought to be involved in this very important cognitive function.
Emotional impact and well being
Dreams have the ability to evoke a range of emotions, from joy and happiness to fear and anxiety.For Example, nightmares or stressful dreams evoke negative emotions and may lead to increased heart rate and physiological responses even throughout the following day.
Similarly, positive emotions evoked in dreams such as joy and happiness may carry over into waking life the following day, affecting mood and emotional well-being.
Control of dreams
Because dreams have such enormous effects on sleep quality and waking life, it is important to understand how much control we can have over them and how to exercise it.
Avoid watching horror movies 2 hours before bedtime
One significant way to control how and what we dream is to control the inputs into our brains and minds two hours before sleep. As a person who usually gets nightmares, it is crucial to put away horror movies 2 hours to bedtime. This will help control nightmares.
Dream Journaling
Keep a dream journal to record and reflect on your dreams regularly. This increases dream recall and can enhance self-awareness within our dreams. Consequently will help achieve control in your dreams.
Deep sleep
Ensure you get sufficient and quality sleep. Because Lucid dreaming is often associated with REM sleep, anything that gives you sufficient REM sleep gives you control over your dreams.
You can maximize your REM sleep by creating a comfortable sleep environment. For Example keep your bedroom dimly lit, quiet, and cool. Additionally, you should I
invest in a comfortable mattress and pillows to support restful sleep. You may also get natural herbal sleep aid supplements for deep sleep. The best sleep aid supplements are those that contain melatonin, the sleeping hormone (C₁₃H₁₆N₂O₂).
Stress management
Practicing stress-reducing techniques such as meditation, deep breathing, or mindfulness to calm the mind before sleep is important in controlling the types of dreams we get.
Practice a number of stress management techniques and choose one that most suits you for stress reduction. Make it a habit to practice these everyday.
.....Control your dreams : Better dreams, better sleep....