5 reasons why vivid dreams can mess up with your mind
Did you ever had a dream which felt realistic and you cannot forget it after waking up? Then you have to check whether it happened or not. For example, you might have a dream about losing your teeth and when you wake up you check whether your teeth are there or not. The details of these dreams are normally clear in the mind and you can not wear them off. According to psychologists, these dreams are called ‘vivid dreams’.
These kinds of dreams can be happy or sad or can be a part of reality that already occurred or a hypothetical situation. But these dreams are highly intense and not easy to forget. After a stressful day, when you get in deep sleep you may have vivid dreams.
The REM cycle causes these kinds of nightmares. They usually start about half an hour of your sleep and continues till morning. This is the reason why you wake up from such dreams when your alarm goes off. During a REM dream, the brain functions actively and keeps your muscles relaxed so that you do not act in real according to your dream. This is why you can always recall your dream.
How do vivid dreams affect the mind?
Vivid dreams have a direct relationship with the prefrontal cortex of the brain which induces complex behaviours and defines personality development. It is a natural phenomenon and occurs with everyone. According to psychologists, young people tend to have more vivid dreams as compared to people having matured brains. An estimate shows that 20% of people experience vivid dreams monthly, whereas some people experience these dreams on the basis. These dreams can affect your brain negatively in the following ways.
Anxiety, Stress, and emotional instability
Vivid dreams tend to create a negative impact like anxiety and stress. While people face uncertain or shocking situations, it becomes very difficult to overcome or forget the dream. Plus, people suffering from traumas in real life tend to have negative dreams which is an increase in tensions as they make a connection between the dreams and real-life situations. People who experience vivid dreams frequently grow emotionally unstable and their reactions are extreme. They can be a threat to themselves and the others around them. The dreams that occur after traumas or phobias are similar to the incidents in real and are scarier for emotional people. They are a source of constant stress and adversely affect your mind.
Slowed thinking and reactions
Due to ongoing series of vivid dreams, the person becomes mentally weak. He keeps mingling the dream and life situations which makes the responses slow. Frequent vivid dreams can be stressful and people may lose control over their reactions. Brain functioning slows down so it is impossible to focus on daily activities and you may remain lost and disoriented. It targets the brain directly and brings a decline in daily life activities. You can also feel mentally and physically tired which impacts normal body functioning.
Confusion and poor judgment
Vivid dreams are so realistically clear that it becomes difficult to distinguish between imagination and reality. It creates a sort of confusion among the individuals. But this occurs in cases where people have severe mental issues and are psychologically weak. They keep dwelling in their dreams sub-consciously deriving out some meaning or hint from them. This creates a sense of confusion and poor judgment in daily activities.
Lack of sleep and negative mindset
Vivid dreams however cannot be a pleasure for all. Some people experience the situation of being trapped in those dreams and not being able to wake up or respond. Not everyone can’t overcome the side effects of vivid dreaming. After experiencing a lucid dream people cannot actually go back to sleep which causes poor sleep quality and fatigue throughout the day. They also threat fear while falling asleep that they may have nightmares. Vivid dreaming invokes a sense of confusion in people because it is very hard to distinguish between reality and dream for some time.
Psychological disorders
For people who are psychologically weak, it is difficult to clear out the line between sleep-wake and vivid dreams. This type of dream however ensures a wish-fulfilment yet they can be uninvited for certain individuals. It induces the common symptoms of schizophrenia and dissociation. Instead of positive effects resulting in worst situations increasing psychopathological symptoms.
Vivid dreams can make your day worst and keep you irritated, as the situations of the dreams can be very disturbing and unforgettable. Individuals who suffer from mental disorders can find the nightmares more disturbing than normal people. The most feared result of vivid dreams for psychologically weak people is a post-traumatic stress disorder.
Conclusion
Dreams leave a direct impact on our mental and physical health. Vivid dreams are determinants of sleep deprivation and low sugar level. People who are depressed in their real life have less memory of their dreams and are always fatigued. Vivid dreams give the hint of things that can stress you in real life or are harmful to you. Going to sleep on time, avoiding using TV, laptops, and phones, and having a meal at least two hours before sleep can prevent you from having vivid dreams. Make your bedroom comfy and dark for a peaceful sleep. If the situation persists for a long time, you need to seek medical help. Instead of being distressed, be mindful of the consequences and go to a doctor at once.