Dreams are a fascinating aspect of sleep that continue to intrigue scientists and dreamers alike. They are a series of thoughts, images, and sensations that occur during sleep, with the most vivid and memorable dreams happening during REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep. Our vivid dreams mostly occur in the latter half of the night when REM periods become longer. During REM sleep, different brain regions connect in unusual ways, resulting in the bizarre and fantastical nature of our dreams.
Hear Dr Melissa Ree’s radio chat about dreaming: https://omny.fm/shows/afternoons/have-you-ever-wondered-what-causes-dreams-and-nigh/embed?style=Cover&size=Square
The myth of non-dreamers
It’s a common misconception that some people don’t dream. In reality, everyone dreams, though we may not always remember them. We tend to recall dreams more vividly if we wake up during or shortly after a dream. Improving dream recall can be achieved by setting the intention to remember dreams before bed and maintaining a dream diary to record them as soon as we wake.
Why do we dream?
The exact reasons behind why we dream are still a subject of scientific debate, but several theories offer insight into their potential purposes:
Memory consolidation: One popular theory is that dreaming helps with memory processing. As we dream, our brains integrate information gathered throughout the day, storing important memories and discarding irrelevant details.
Creativity and problem-solving: Dreams may foster creativity by allowing our brains to make unique connections between concepts that we wouldn’t typically associate in our waking life. This novel problem-solving ability can sometimes lead to breakthrough ideas.
Emotional processing: Dreams might also play a role in emotional healing and coping. For example, a study by Matt Walker’s team found that participants who experienced a night of sleep after viewing emotional images showed a significant decrease in emotional reactions to those images (compared to individuals who didn’t sleep after seeing the images). This reduction was accompanied by decreased activity in the amygdala, a brain region involved in processing emotions.
Influencing behaviour: Research by Arzi et al. in 2014 demonstrated that dreams might impact our behaviour. In their study, participants exposed to aversive smells associated with cigarettes while they slept had a 30% reduction in smoking behaviour the following week compared to those exposed to the nasty smell while awake.
Why do some people dream in black and white?
Interestingly, about 10% of people dream in black and white, a phenomenon that has decreased since the advent of colour television and photography. This suggests that the media we consume can influence our dream experiences.
Can we influence our dreams?
Yes, it is possible to influence what we dream about. One well-known technique involves focusing on a particular thought or image before sleep. For example, a study found that thinking about a tree whilst drifting off to sleep could lead to dreams that included trees. This technique, known as “targeted dream incubation,” may be a powerful tool for directing the content of our dreams. Treatments for troublesome nightmares also use techniques to help people influence their dreams, and they tend to be quite effective (see more below).
Understanding and managing nightmares
Nightmares are intense, vivid, negative dreams that can be unsettling and distressing. They are a normal and common response to stress or traumatic experiences and may serve as a mechanism for processing difficult emotions.
Nightmares are also more common when we’re sleep-deprived: our brain responds by giving us more intense REM sleep, which tends to be experienced as more vivid dreams, sometimes verging on nightmarish.
However, when nightmares become frequent or severely impact sleep quality and daily functioning, they may require intervention.
For occasional nightmares that don’t significantly impact daily life, reassurance and education about their normalcy can be sufficient. For more frequent and disruptive nightmares, several evidence-based treatments are available:
- Psychological approaches: Establishing a consistent sleep routine, optimising sleep health, managing stress, and learning to reduce fear associated with nightmares can all be beneficial. When people experience more mastery over their nightmares, they become much less problematic. Imagery Rehearsal Therapy (IRT) and Planned Dream Interventions are examples of approaches we use in the clinic.
- Imagery Rehearsal Therapy (IRT): This effective treatment for nightmares involves rewriting the nightmare scenario with a less threatening outcome and rehearsing this new version daily. For example, a person might transform their nightmare into one where they can escape easily. One of our clients would put on a pair of red magic shoes in her dream and click her heels to return to safety.
- Medical treatments: In some cases of Nightmare Disorder, medical treatment may be appropriate. A GP, sleep physician, or psychiatrist would be good advisors for these situations.
Get in touch
If you’re experiencing frequent nightmares or trouble with sleep, we can help. Contact our team at Sleep Matters by filling out the contact form on our website, and we’ll be in touch to discuss how we can support your sleep health.