Apr 24th 2017

Surprising Facts About Dreaming

Is dreaming healthy?

Whether you’ve found yourself going to a waterpark with Napoleon or giving a presentation with no clothes on, chances are, you’re probably dreaming — at least we hope you are. As wacky and weird as some of our dreams may be, many scientists believe that they are incredibly valuable for our emotional health. When we dream, we work through real anxieties and fears we face throughout the day, which helps to diminish the stress we feel in the morning. Because of this emotional release, experts claims that dreaming helps to reduce stress and emotional trauma, work through problems in life and can even increase your happiness.

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Surprising Facts About Dreaming

#1. Dreams have nothing to do with vision.

It is a common misconception that people who are blind cannot dream. All people dream, except for a select few with psychological illnesses. People who develop blindness can still see images when they are dreaming, but people who were born blind experience their dreams with other senses.

#2. Men and women have different dreams.

When compared with women, men tend to have dreams that are more aggressive or violent. It’s also interesting to note that most of the characters featured in men’s dreams are men, whereas women dream about both men and women equally.

#3. Animals can dream too.

People aren’t the only mammals, or even animals, who can dream. Pay attention to your dog the next time they are asleep. Those paw twitches and eye movements indicate that they are dreaming. All mammals experience REM sleep, and so do all reptiles and some birds, which likely means that they also dream. However, fish and insects do not experience REM sleep.

#4. Your dreams may not be totally out of your control.

Many of us cannot control what happens in our dreams, but there is an entire subculture consisting of people who can. The practice of lucid dreaming provides the dreamer with a degree of control over the narratives, characters and environments in their dreams.

#5. Some of mankind’s greatest inventions are the results of dreams.

Dreams have inspired some of the greatest inventions, such as the sewing machine, the periodic table and even the idea for Google!

What effect does sleep apnea have on dreaming?

Sleep apnea makes it difficult to stay asleep, because your body is constantly waking itself up when you stop breathing. This also makes it difficult to reach the REM cycle, which is when the majority of dreaming occurs. The effect that sleep apnea has on your ability to dream depends on how severe your sleep apnea is.

  • Mild to Moderate Sleep Apnea - People who suffer from mild to moderate sleep apnea tend to have more nightmares and vivid dreams. This is because the REM cycle is disrupted by the sensation of being choked, which leads to dreams that are emotionally charged or negative.
  • Severe Sleep Apnea - People who suffer from severe sleep apnea have a lot more trouble recalling their dreams because they spend a significantly smaller percentage of their sleep time in REM sleep.

    • With the right sleep apnea treatment, you could dream again.

    Finding the right sleep apnea treatment could help you enjoy more restful, restorative sleep, which could also help you dream again. At CPAP Liquidators, we offer used CPAP and BIPAP machines that are affordable and refurbished to work like new. Shop with us today.