Having a pleasant dream can create the perfect atmosphere for a successful and fulfilling day. On the flip side, a restless night filled with nightmares can completely ruin your mood. If you find yourself not enjoying dreaming as much as you used to, there are various strategies you can try. Firstly, it's important to understand what might be causing this change.
Related Blog: 4 Things That Our Dreams Tell Us about Ourselves
Why Do We Dream?
Not everyone remembers their dreams, but virtually everybody has them. We’re all born with this natural ability but, despite the advanced scientific research of the 21st century, we still don’t clearly understand why we dream.
Sleep scientists from the University of California at Berkeley suggest that dreams help your brain grow, mature, process events, and consolidate memories. That’s why babies dream for about 50% of their sleep, and people dream less as they get older.
Common and Not-So-Common Causes of Nightmares
Medications:
Certain medications can sometimes trigger unpleasant dreams. Blood pressure medications, like Metoprolol and Alprenolol, are frequently associated with vivid dreams and troubling nightmares.
Anti-depressants, like Prozac and other Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitor (SSRI) drugs, are also known to cause sleep disturbances and bad dreams, says Psychology Today.
Sleep Position
According to the Hong Kong University professor, Calvin Kai-Ching Yu, your sleep position directly affects your dreams. Stomach sleepers have the most uncommon sleeping position and, according to Dr. Yu experience the most romantically intense dreams when they sleep belly-down.
Most people are side sleepers. According to ancient Chinese medicine, left side sleepers are more likely to experience night terrors and unsettling dreams than right side sleepers.
Physical causes
A too-hard, too-soft, or extra-lumpy mattress can make it impossible to enjoy a good night's sleep. So can a too-hot bedroom or a bedroom that's not dark enough. If you do manage to fall asleep despite such discomfort, the aches and pains you feel in your dreams may lead you to re-imagine your injury.
Better Sleep Tips
Boost your chances of nightmare-less sleep with these simple tips from Mayo Clinic:
- Be active throughout the day but not right before bedtime
- Create a serene sleep environment that includes a comfortable mattress
- Don't over-nap
- Go to bed no sooner than two hours after a heavy meal
- If you're awake for more than 20 minutes, get out of bed and read a book
- Maintain a sleep-wake schedule
When You're Ready to Know More
If you're thinking about upgrading your sleep situation, we'd love to help. Visit one of our showrooms in Sarasota or Venice. A Land of Sleep snooze expert will be happy to help you find a bed that suits your personal sleep style.
