Have you ever had a dream so crazy that you start questioning how your own brain could have even conjured that up?! There are endless “dream interpretations” out there but we’re not here to tell you about those. Instead, here’s some research rounded up by “Buzzfeed” that helps explain why you have those vivid dreams. Here are some of our behaviors that can influence our dreams – “for better and for worse.”
- Medication – There’s a laundry list of prescriptions that claim vivid dreaming or nightmares as potential side effects. These include blood pressure medication, antihistamines, steroids, and antidepressants.
- Health conditions – Nightmares happen to almost everyone but if you’re having them almost every night there could be an underlying issue like anxiety, depression, or PTSD– or a sleep disorder such as narcolepsy or sleep apnea.
- Stress – More stress in real life means more stress in your dreams too!
- Not enough sleep – Your brain might be trying to “catch up” on REM cycles which can trigger vivid dreaming.
- Too much sleep – A study published in Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology found that people who sleep more than nine hours have more frequent nightmares.
- Exercise – Balanced exercise may reduce nightmares. However too much or too little can also affect sleep quality.
- Your period – Hormones can trigger unusual dreams.
- Alcohol / Cannabis – Researchers believe both can “suppress REM cycles” and a “REM rebound effect” which can lead to some strange and vivid dreams.
Source: Buzzfeed News
Photo: Getty Images