I’ve been dreaming.

This is of significance because I haven’t really been dreaming, lately. Call it stress, lack of exercise, lack of healthy food, whatever; the fact is I haven’t been dreaming because I haven’t been healthy.

Yesterday, for the first time in a while, I didn’t wake up feeling like I absolutely needed my morning coffee to simply feel awake, to push aside that feeling of drab. This was after a night of dreaming. Don’t get me wrong; I still had that coffee.

This got me to thinking: if I’m not dreaming, am I experiencing REM sleep? Do I get better sleep when I dream?

According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke article, “Brain Basics: Understanding Sleep,” most dreams occur during REM sleep. If you’ve been dreaming, and you know that it was a dream, then chances are that you’ve been experiencing REM sleep.

It is during REM sleep that one typically experiences limb paralysis. If something goes wrong and the paralysis does not occur, then the dreamer may move as if acting out the dream. This may result in kicking, hitting, or other movements.

What is REM sleep? – Get Better Sleep

REM stands for “rapid eye movement,” which occurs during this sleep stage along with an increased heart rate and blood pressure. It is the fifth sleep stage in which people spend about 20% of their sleep time, ideally.

The following can interfere with REM sleep:

• caffeine

• antidepressants
• nicotine – heavy use and withdrawal
• very hot or cold temperatures

It is very interesting to note that the NINDS article also states, “If our REM sleep is disrupted one night, our bodies don’t follow the normal sleep cycle progression the next time we doze off. Instead, we often slip directly into REM sleep and go through extended periods of REM until we ‘catch up’ on this stage of sleep.”

Sleep and Exercise

Exercise promotes good sleep. My recent dreams coincide with my most recent commitment to exercise. Exercising too late in the evening, however, can interfere with the ability to fall asleep. The NINDS recommends exercising no less that 5 or 6 hours before bedtime.

I definitely notice an improvement in my daily activities when I get quality sleep. It is quality of daily life that makes me want to do what is right to get better sleep.