Unveiling the Mystery: Does Frequent Dreaming Affect Sleep?

Author: Yang Yuhui, National Level 2 Psychological Counselor, Original Article

What exactly are dreams? What is the purpose of dreams? At which stage of sleep do dreams occur? Does having many dreams affect a person's rest?

We have so many questions about dreams. Today, let's step into the world of psychology and delve into the ins and outs of dreams...

1. How are dreams generated?

We often use the term "daydream" to describe something that is impossible, that is, something that, under normal circumstances,Dreams originate from sleep; people can only dream while asleep.。

During sleep, muscles are in a state of "paralysis" that does not harm health, while the brain is like a giant kindergarten with many children—brain cells. While most of the children are resting, some mischievous ones always sneak out the window...

In short,Dreams are the activity of brain cells, the result of brain cells remaining "half awake and half asleep" during sleep.。

2. Why is it so difficult for us to remember our dreams?

Through monitoring and studying the brain waves of sleepers, researchers have discovered that brain activity during sleep changes in a regular pattern, which consists of four stages.

Stage 1: Brainwave activity is 3-7 times per second, lasting for more than 20 minutes. This is a light sleep state where one is easily awakened.

Phase 2: Brainwave activity reaches 12-16 times per second, continuing for another 20 minutes or so, during which sleep becomes deeper.

Stage 3: Brainwave activity is 1-2 times per second, breathing and heart rate reach their lowest levels, lasting for more than 20 minutes, at which point the deepest sleep state is entered.

Stage 4: Brainwaves gradually become more active, appearing similar to stages 1 and 2, but with a key characteristic at this stage:Rapid eye movementTherefore, this stage is also called“"Rapid Eye Movement (REM)"This phase lasts shorter than the others, only about 10 minutes.

The four stages last a total of 90 minutes. From falling asleep to waking up, the brain goes through 4 to 6 such cycles.

Throughout the night, we go through four stages of sleep in multiple cycles. Each cycle adds one more turn, increasing REM sleep and decreasing deep sleep (stages 3 and 4). Until morning, we might experience stages 1 and 2 before jumping directly to stage 4. This is why, when we're woken by an alarm clock in the morning, we can continue sleeping and continue the dream that was interrupted.

Experiments showed that people awakened during the REM (Rapid Eye Movement) stage (82%) all dreamed, and most could recall the content of their dreams. However, only half of those awakened at other stages had dream memories. Is this because they didn't dream, or because they dreamed but couldn't remember? We don't know.

We have difficulty remembering our dreams.This is because we are in the non-rapid eye movement (NREM) phase when we wake up.If we are suddenly awakened from a dream, we are in the REM (Rapid Eye Movement) stage, and we will remember it.

3. Does having many dreams mean you have insomnia?

Studies have shown that sleep function is about preservation and recovery, and NREM and REM sleep may play different roles.

NREM is responsible for the body's repair, while REM is responsible for the brain's repair.

Most people who wake up during REM sleep feel like they were dreaming. At this time, the brain is in a state of confusion, and they don't feel that they have had enough rest, or even that they have actually slept for several hours.

Therefore, excessive dreaming is due to waking up more often during the REM stage, while insomnia is more of a subjective impression.

If we are awakened by dreams during REM sleep, we need more REM sleep to make up for it.。

4. Are nightmares normal?

Nightmares are situations where the content of a dream is out of control, causing people to feel extremely helpless or terrified.

Generally speaking, dreams either fulfill unfulfilled desires in reality or perpetuate unreleased emotions, which are usually negative, repressed, and frightening. Nightmares are the latter.

Living in a complex society with high living pressure and a fast-paced work environment, it's natural to experience significant emotional fluctuations, so having nightmares occasionally is perfectly normal.

However, frequent nightmares, or even recurring recurring nightmares, are abnormal. People who have experienced severe trauma are more prone to recurring nightmares, forcing them to relive certain aspects of the trauma repeatedly. This is especially relevant for children; if a child is frequently plagued by nightmares, parents should pay attention to whether the child has experienced anything outside the home.

5. Are dreams controllable?

As we discussed earlier, dreams are caused by some brain cells "sneaking out" to become active, so under normal circumstances, dreams are uncontrollable.

Can a person dream while fully awake? That is, although the dreamer's body is asleep, the brain is fully aware that they are dreaming. They know where they are, can recognize their surroundings, and can control their dreams.

This seems a bit absurd!

However, in the 1970s and 80s, British psychologist Keith Hearn and Stanford University's Stephen Luberg proved in the laboratory that...By giving the dreamer a signal during the REM (Rapid Eye Movement) phase, making them aware that they are dreaming, one can control the direction of the dream.

Lucid dreaming is a state between sleep and wakefulness, and people who can have lucid dreams need long-term training. As for ordinary people, daydreaming is still just daydreaming.

Article source: Science Popularization China WeChat Official Account