Why does dreams feel real

Search Questions or Ask New:. Moderated by Lauren Abasheva , LMHC Licensed Professional Counselor A sex positive, and kink knowledgeable therapist with an open mindset and a clear understanding that we are all different. Top Rated Answers. When you feel as if you are seeing them come up in your life through signs. Messages, spiritual signs, and awakening Did you find this post helpful?

If you are having dreams that feel so real to you. You have whats called vivid dreams which are very bright with color and are so close to reality that you can pick out which is which. Anonymous - Expert in Sleeping Well May 21st, pm. It probably means that it's about to happen in your life for real. Pay attention to the dreams like that. Perhaps your dreams feel so real because your subconscious is really trying to get you to pay attention to something going on in your life! Dreams that feel extremely real are known as vivid dreams, and they can be caused by a broad spectrum of things, from abnormal sleep patterns to stress to mental illness to diet.

One thing is for sure, if you are suddenly experiencing frequent vivid dreams, you should consider seeing a doctor to make sure it isn't health-related. Pregnancy can also increase frequency in vivid dreaming, so if you have a little one on the way, chances are you are just fine. One way to cope with vivid dreaming is to attempt to practice lucid dreaming - the art of knowing you are dreaming inside the dream. It isn't an easy thing to learn, but there are a lot of books and articles on the subject, if you're interested.

I think there are so many theories on dreams, it will be difficult if not impossible to come to one conclusion but I can add my two cents :. I have had the incredibly realistic dreams good or bad when my anxiety has been at a high. I would have had a bad day of anxiety, or tried to fight off panic attacks, or gone to bad and fought for sleep because my heart was pounding. When I eventually fall asleep my dreams feel detailed, enlarged, and very real.

I wake up dazed and confused and it takes me a while to realise where I am. I think this could be due to 2 things. Firstly, with anxiety, cortisol levels are incredibly high so I think this chemical must add to the dreams.

Secondly, with all the emotions that have been felt during the day which can be traumatic or emotionally exhausting it makes sense that dreams would be affected and become vivid. Hope this helps :. Well it's called lucid dreaming. I know, I'll put it under my pillow" and then argued with myself that that was impossible. It can mean that you are experiencing a strong emotion while awake, as love or fear or anger.

I often dream with people I really care about or people I'm upset with, and the dreams are always feel pretty real. The REM cycles start about an hour and half after you fall asleep, and they tend to be longer and deeper toward morning. During REM your brain waves, breathing, and heart rate are closer to wakefulness than sleep. If your alarm goes off during a REM cycle, you may be able to recall your dreams. A painful breakup or other stressful event. A new medication.

Other times, it feels like a mystery, because vivid dreams kind of are. We all dream, but some of us may be better at remembering our dreams than others. One study even found that right-handed people were more likely to remember their dreams, for yet unknown reasons. Any sleep disorder that shorts you on rest can increase your chances of experiencing vivid dreams.

That includes sleep apnea, narcolepsy , and insomnia. And the sleep disorder known as REM sleep behavior disorder could lead to action-filled vivid dreams.

One theory on dreams suggests that they reflect your real life. Talk to your healthcare provider if you take prescription medications and experience vivid dreams on the regular. Substances including ketamine, marijuana, and cocaine can lead to vivid dreams, which can also be common during the recovery and withdrawal process. While alcohol is a depressant, it prevents you from getting good sleep, as it keeps you from entering the REM stage. Withdrawal from heavy drinking can lead to weird dreams.

Talk to your doctor if you feel that your drinking has become problematic. When was your last period? Nightmares and vivid dreams can be a common early sign of pregnancy. Both mental health conditions and physical illnesses can cause vivid dreams. We sleep in cycles. We first experience REM 70 to 90 minutes after falling asleep, and we go through a number of sleep cycles throughout the night, with REM cycles increasing in length as the night goes on.

People are best able to remember their dreams when awakened from REM as opposed to naturally shifting to other parts of the sleep cycle. If you awake unnaturally through an alarm, for example , and the dream you just had feels unusually vivid to you, it may be because you were still in a REM stage when you woke up.

Counterintuitively, not getting enough sleep can lead to more intense dreaming. For people with diabetes, unusually strange, vivid, or nightmarish dreams are worth paying attention to. These intense dreams can be a symptom of nocturnal hypoglycemia , or low blood sugar, which can be extremely dangerous if untreated. Alcohol, nicotine, anti-depressants, and blood pressure medication all suppress REM sleep.

When people stop using these substances, they can experience REM rebound and have unusually vivid, intense dreams.