In the past few weeks, my dreams have been out-this-world vivid. While typically I remember my dreams only every once in a while, I've been waking up with intense visions from my dreams seared into my brain. It's been too jarring of a shift not to take notice, especially because a lot of the dreams have been ominous, scary, or just completely weird. If I had to find one common thread, it would probably be a feeling of helplessness.
The last time I had such vivid dreams was during each of my pregnancies. So I had no idea what was happening, but I definitely didn't assume it was happening to practically everyone. Then I started reading about how it was going on all over the place, even to people who said they usually don't remember their dreams at all. Dream analysis sites have reported big upticks in searches for meanings of different kinds of dreams, too.
Turns out, there might be a pretty good reason for the uptick in intense, vivid dreaming.
Sleep specialist Dr. Salim Dib, a neurologist at the University of Miami, told CBS Miami News that that strange or intense dreams can be the mind's way of processing information or stress. With that in mind, it makes sense that it's happening to so many people right now. He says, "It's really important to dedicate time in the evening away from the bedroom for stress reduction."
That can look like many different things for different people. But essentially, if we don't relieve our stress and worry during the day, it's going to carry over. Our minds need something to do with all our anxiety, so it comes up while we're sleeping in strange and very memorable ways.
It's a really interesting phenomenon, though! And there's no denying it's happening to so many people right now. Social media is a flurry of posts about dreams. People want to know what their vivid dreams mean, which seems like a natural curiosity, especially if you're not used to remembering your nighttime mind-ventures.
Courtney Bancroft, a psychologist based in New York City, was interviewed by Today. She said that patients have been reaching out to her with concerns about their sleep. One of those big issues has been recurring distressing dreams.
"When we see heightened levels of stress, we often see heightened levels of vivid dreams happening," she said. "Our brains get flooded with all sorts of neurotransmitters and chemicals, like adrenaline and epinephrine. When they're activated, even if it's during the day, it can actually remain present while you're sleeping, and that can interrupt the regular sleep cycle a bit and cause those vivid dreams."
The good news about drastic sleep changes is that they aren't likely to be permanent. The experts say that once the main stressor is alleviated, a person's sleep usually returns to normal. Bancroft says that people "can usually jump right back in and sleep normally and get back into a routine."
That's good news for people who are worried about their sleep patterns or are just tired of having stressful dreams. The truth is, it's exhausting to constantly wake up from intense dreaming. It doesn't exactly feel all that restful. In some cases, you might even begin to dread going to bed! So let's hope the experts are right and that our collective nighttime anxiety dreams won't last.
Experts also say there's a lot you can do to get better sleep, even during stressful times. They advise maintaining a routine and journaling about your feelings as helpful tools for easing feelings of worry. Of course, that may always be true before bedtime. But now more than ever, we need healthy outlets for our emotions; otherwise, they come for us in the middle of the night while we're sleeping.
Avoiding or limiting your alcohol intake is another way to help improve your sleep. While we often turn to alcohol to help us relax, it can actually disrupt your sleep. A few drinks might make you feel groggy and even assist with helping you to fall asleep, but chances are you'll wake more often during the night.
Getting outside or expending energy while inside can help you sleep easier, too. Doing at-home workouts, playing with your kids, and generally staying active and trying not to watch Netflix all day without a break can make your body and mind feel ready when it's time to relax for the night.
