There is nothing better than sinking into your pillow after a long and exhausting day. Some drift off easily into Slumberland, and others take a little while longer, but what everyone has in common is the ability to dream.
Dreams come in many forms, and what dreams are exactly, is still up for debate. However what is known is that dreaming is associated with the deepest part of sleep, even the nightmares that make wake you in the night. So, with that being said, how does dreaming affect your quality of sleep?
Dreams are part of normal sleep and can occur during the REM stage. Generally, it is known that dreaming is connected to improved cognitive function during the day. Dreams also contribute to memory storage and processing, and emotional regulation.
The Impact Of Dreams
Dreams are abstract and sleeper may or may not remember them. Upon waking, people usually only remember one dream, but the reality is we have several dreams throughout the night.
Whether or not you remember your dream depends on when you wake.
Understanding the sleep cycle
The sleep cycle has 4 stages. Stage one is the shortest and usually last around 5 minutes. During this phase, you will flutter between asleep and awake before finally drifting away into the Land of Nod.
Stages 2 and 3 are known as the ‘wave’ stages of sleep. Stage 2 lasts up to 60 minutes and stage 3 up to 40 minutes. During this time the body truly prepares for rest. Your body temperature will drop and your muscles will relax into a state of paralysis. It is difficult to wake someone up from this state.
Stage 4 is REM sleep, characterized and named after the Rapid Eye Movement that occurs during this phase. Brain activity levels begin to rise - almost to the same level when awake. This stage is when dreams occur.
REM sleep only lasts about 1 hour - the body then shifts back into Stage 1 and the process cycles around until your body (or your alarm clock) wakes you up. When you wake up during REM sleep you will likely remember your dreams, compared to being woken during the other stages of sleep.
Positive Dreams
Although it is very typical to dream, they can have positive or negative aspects in terms of general mental health. While positive dreams can make you more motivated the following day, negative dreams can cause a low mood and even anxiety.
Positive dreams tend to be more constructive and more life-oriented. It may or may not feature people you know, and it may or may not make any sense once awake but positive dreams do seem to assist the sleeper to achieve a deeper sleep state.
Negative Dreams or Nightmares
It is generally thought that dreams are manifested from the subconscious - that goes for negative dreams too.
Nightmares are usually fear-based and may correspond to something in real life that the person is afraid to go against or to ‘face’.
People experiencing low mood, depression or anxiety during their waking life are more likely to experience nightmares while asleep. As mentioned previously, bad dreams can contribute to low mood, so getting stuck in this cycle is not at all ideal.
Nightmares are also more likely to wake you during the night and make it more difficult to get back to sleep. With your sleep cycle suddenly disrupted, your overall sleep quality is significantly decreased.
Creating the necessary environment and making your brain feels relaxed before going to bed are one of the most important factors for a healthier sleep.
In addition to this, a correctly selected bed and pillow are also essential for deep sleep. The key is to find a bed that helps you release tension that has built up during the day. Here at Flexispot, we have a number of ergonomic beds that are designed just for that.
Is There a Relationship Between Sleep Quality and Bed Type?
There is an unquestionable connection between sleep quality and the type of bed you choose. As you can guess, an adjustable and comfortable orthopaedic bed increases sleep quality by 100%.
Beds that are not selected to support the shape and weight of your body may cause discomfort, which builds tension and stress throughout the body, including the brain. This is why choosing the right bed is so important.
Having undisturbed sleep is the most ideal, and our electric adjustable beds are operated with remote control, minimising the need to physically move to adjust your bed. this makes it easier to drift off again if you have suddenly awoken from a bad dream.
Adjustable beds and electric bed frames are especially good if you are suffering from lower and upper back pain. You can get comfortable much easier and readjust your position during the night without having to be fully awake.
This supports a great night's sleep and may also promote more positive and calming dream states.
How to Get a Good Night's Sleep
Recent studies have revealed a noticeable decrease in sleep quality among the general population.
The rise of technology has given way to a digitally subversive experience for many which can overstimulate the brain. Those who work in offices spend most of their day looking at screens, and those who don’t are still spending their downtime looking at their phones or TV.
That is why activities that gently trigger your brain for sleep, such as reading a book or meditating, are highly recommended, but they are best done while upright. With an adjustable bed, you can sit up and lie down without having to leave your bed.
Our modern lifestyles too, have had a physical and mental impact on restorative sleep. As we all know, back and neck pain, are just one of the side effects but also erratic and negative dreams are on the rise too - which causes even more disruption to the sleep cycle.
At Flexispot, our electric beds are designed to maximise comfort and melt away the stress of the day so you can fall asleep with a clear mind and experience positive, empowering dream states.
