5 of the most common vivid dreams and what they mean?

As per Vivid Dreams While we think of sleep as a time for recharging the body, our brains are still active during sleep.  Sleep occurs in five stages: 

• Wake
• N1
• N2
• N3
• REM (Rapid Eye Movement)

N1, N2, and N3 are the divisions of NREM (Non-Rapid Eye Movement). Human Body cycles through these two phases (REM, and NREM) of sleep. Sleep is important for the brain’s healthy activities. In fact brain and body stay active during sleep. Dreams can happen during any stage of sleep but a vivid dream happens during a phase of REM (Rapid Eye Movement) which is approximately 25 percent of sleep time.

Vivid Dreams

Dreams are the result of our whole day’s thoughts and stories. They may be a person’s those wish that he or she could not fulfill. There are many types of dreams normal dreams, daydreams, lucid dreams, false awakening dreams, and nightmares. Vivid dreams are a special type of lucid dreams.

Vivid dreams can be defined as those dreams that are clear, realistic, and lifelike. Many people do not remember what they had seen in their dreams they had just some fuzzy and brief snapshots of it. This may be due to their less intensity. Dreams arise when the brain categorizes information into short and long-term memory. During REM sleep brain processes information into long-term memory that’s why most people remember the dreams that happen in REM.

Vivid Dreams have high intensity and can affect a person’s whole day’s activity. These dreams may be fascinating or disturbing depending upon a person’s mental state during the whole day. If he had a depressed and anxious routine then most likely he may have disturbing dreams and if he had a peaceful and relaxed routine then he may have fantastic dreams. Vivid Dreams are so realistic that you wonder if they happened. These dreams are full of clear details, colors, and emotions, and are remembered as if they were an actual real-life experience.

Common Vivid Dreams and their meanings

As dreams are repressed thoughts, emotions, etc everyone is curious about knowing whether their dreams have meaning or not. There are many theories by brain scientists that talk about dreams and their meanings.

Here we discuss some common vivid dreams along with their meanings. These are:

• Falling: Most people dream about falling from some higher point. According to psychologists, this dream is common in those people who are having major issues in their work, family, or elsewhere.
• Teeth falling out: Experts have different viewpoints regarding teeth falling. Some say it is a symbol of losing power and confidence as teeth are the symbol of power and confidence. Others say it has different meanings for both men and women. For women, it is a sign of happiness and wishes fulfillment that they may get pregnant soon. For men, it is a desire for sexual stimulation.
• Being Chased: This dream is most common in women than men. This dream seems terrifying but experts consider it a positive sign. They believe that dreamers will finally face the problem that has been hanging over their heads for so long.
• Test-taking: These dreams are common only in hard-working, challenging, and perfectionists. These dreams remind a person to stay alert.
• Showing up late to something: This dream might be a sign of lateness as a warning. These dreams mostly happen when someone is overwhelmed by going or doing something.
• Dreams about dying: Dreamers sometimes dream about dying of themselves or their loved ones. These types of dreams reflect anxiety and fear of changing. As no one knows what change death brings in anyone’s life? Also, parents are more thoughtful about their child’s future they saw such dreams.
• Dreams about flying: This type of dream simply indicates freedom, confidence, and hope. Dreamers are wishful and have strong willpower to overcome all the hurdles and obstacles in achieving their goals.

Causes:

Sleep and dreams are a mystery for scientists. Brain scientists are not sure why humans dream. According to them, dreams must be related to memory. Dreaming might help the brain to eliminate toxins. Brain process and organize information into long and short-term memory that causes dreams. People remember those dreams that they have seen in the morning or their last dreams. But vivid dreams can be remembered even seen a long time ago due to their intensity. Vivid dreams can be positive or negative, realistic, or fantasy. These dreams happen during the REM cycle.

The following factors may play a part in vivid dreams:

• Stress or anxiety: Anxiety can have an impact on what you think and what you dream about. Problems in your daily life with your friends, family, etc can cause intense dreams, and also whenever someone is worried about his or her future about bigger plans like good jobs, buying a house, etc vivid dreams can happen.
• Sleep disorders: When a person wakes up frequently during the night then more likely he or she may have disturbed sleep and can have vivid dreams. Sleep disorders blur the line between sleep and wakefulness. People having sleep disorders are fatigued during the whole day. These people fall into REM sleep shortly after having asleep and within a short nap, they can have vivid dreams. Sleep disorders may be due to stress, depression, and overthinking.
• Meditation: Patients taking certain medications like SSRIs (Selective Serotonin reuptake inhibitors), antidepressants, beta-blockers, and blood pressure medications contribute to vivid dreams.
• Physical illness: People suffering from certain disorders like cancer, heart diseases, etc mostly encounter vivid dreams. To stay healthy one should have quality sleep because quality sleep enhances the immune system’s ability.
• Substance abuse: The use of excessive amounts of illegal drugs or alcohol consumption causes nightmares (vivid dreams) that can be threatening, upsetting, or otherwise bothersome. People with childhood abuse frequently encounter nightmares.
• Pregnancy: During pregnancy, vivid dreams are most likely to happen because of hormonal imbalance. Disrupted sleep is common in women during pregnancy. Since women become more conscious and concerned these days they may catch these thoughts in dreams. Pregnancy dreams are about the baby’s sex, meeting the baby for the first time, or some nightmares about delivery or something bad has happened to the baby.
• Type of Food Consumption: Foods containing a high amount of Tryptophan (amino acid) can cause intense vivid dreams. Nutrients in food may affect sleep quality and hence dreaming. Taking a meal just before going to bed also disrupts sleep and causes vivid dreams.

How do stop vivid dreams?

As we get some understanding of vivid dreams, what they are, what are their causes, and their meanings? Now let’s talk about its presentations.

If you want to keep dreams away from your routine, you should follow the following steps:

Do not overthink dreams and always be positive

Take care of sleep by making a proper sleep schedule. Go to bed when you are asleep and tired.

Talk about your anxiety and stress to some psychologists or some well-wisher

Taking healthy diets (less fat foods) and drinking a lot of water

Meditations, morning exercise, and other activities that can ease your brain

Do not take tea or coffee before going to bed

Avoid screening (horror movies, and TV shows) before going to bed

Avoid alcohol consumption