Dreams can tell us a lot of things: teeth falling out means stress, being naked at work indicates vulnerability, and spiders on your mattress means you're worried about... well, spiders. But can your dreams tell you how well you're actually sleeping at night?
Most dreams occur during the REM sleep stage, when your brain lights up and immerses you in a series of strange, unpredictable stories. Because dreaming is a completely normal part of the sleep cycle, a dream-filled night is often simply a sign that your brain is doing exactly what it's supposed to do.
However, experts say there is one crucial factor that determines whether your dreams mean you're sleeping well or not: how you feel the next day. If you wake up feeling fatigued, or if you constantly remember waking up mid-dream, then your sleep quality might be suffering.
Here, sleep experts explain the science behind your dreams — and how to tell what your dreams really mean for your sleep quality.
Key takeaways: At a glance
- Dreaming occurs during REM sleep : This is a vital stage for memory consolidation and emotional regulation. REM sleep is when your brain is most active during the night.
- Sleep cycles: Dreaming is a normal part of sleep and is often a sign that you're moving through the stages of sleep.
- The warning sign: However, if you feel like you're regularly waking up from a dream, it might be a sign that you're experiencing unwanted late night wake ups.
- The one crucial factor: Dreams don't indicate sleep quality. If you wake up feeling refreshed after a dream-fulled night, your sleep is probably fine. But if you feel fatigued the next day, it can mean your sleep is being disrupted at night.
- How to sleep better when dreaming: Using a relaxing bedtime routine and a consistent bedtime can help improve sleep quality.
When do we dream?
Dreaming primarily occurs in the REM (rapid eye movement) stage of sleep. This is the part of the night in which your brain is at its busiest but your body is semi-paralyzed.
During REM sleep, three parts of your brain come to life: the limbic system, which is responsible for emotional regulation; the hippocampus, in charge of processing memory; and the amygdala, controlling fear and stress. But the prefrontal cortex, which manages executive function, takes a step back
With these parts of the brain in play, dreams during REM sleep are often at their most vivid and memorable (as well as their wackiest.)
While dreaming isn't exclusive to REM sleep, the dreams that occur during deep sleep and light sleep are generally harder to recall.
There's many theories behind why we dream, from emotional regulation to memory consolidation. But we're still learning about what's happening in our brain during dreaming — we've just recently found a "previously unknown" activity in the thalamus that only occurs when we're awake and when we're in REM sleep.
Does dreaming every night mean you’re getting good sleep?
Dreams are a tricky thing to understand. We asked the experts and it turns out that the key to understanding your dreams starts the next morning...
Dreams normal part of a healthy sleep cycle
Dreams are a perfectly normal part of sleep — yes, even the one where you where you're marrying a bowling ball — and dreaming can indicate you're passing naturally through the sleep stages.
“Dreaming regularly is usually a normal part of sleep and doesn’t automatically mean your sleep is healthy or disrupted," says Dr. Danielle Wall, a board-certified physician and sleep expert.
"There is a common misconception that constant dreams reflect the lack of deep sleep during the night," adds Dr. Jordan Burns, Licensed Chiropractor and Sleep Health Expert at Eachnight. "Sleep consists of alternating stages of deep sleep and REM, and both have their importance."
Spending time in REM sleep doesn't mean you aren't cycling through all the sleep stages — or that your REM sleep isn't serving an essential purpose.
"People have frequent dreams as REM sleep has a crucial role in processing information, emotional management, and memorization," notes Dr. Burns.
And research suggests dreams aren't the exclusive foray of REM sleep, either. You might be less likely to remember dreams from light and deep sleep, but they can still add to that impression of a dream-filled night.
"A dreamful night reflects a healthy state if the person awakes fully-rested, keeps proper level of energy and works effectively," says Dr. Burns.
But remembering your dreams might be a sign of 3 a.m. wake ups
Some mornings you wake up feeling like your alarm has lifted you straight from your dream. And if you're been shocked awake during REM sleep, that's pretty much what happened.
"Most people dream several times a night, but they’re more likely to remember those dreams if they wake up during or shortly after REM sleep, when dreams tend to be more vivid," says Dr. Wall.
That rude awakening might leave you with some lingering sleep inertia (that groggy feeling you get when you first wake up.) But after a cup of coffee and some sunlight, you should be feeling back to normal.
However, in some cases vividly remembering your dreams might be a sign you're experiencing frequent nighttime wake-ups.
"Constant feeling of dreaming, fatigue upon awakening may indicate that one's sleep cycle is more broken, making him or her wake up several times at various stages of dream process," says Dr. Burns.
But he emphasizes that remembered dreams are a symptom, rather than the issue itself.
"In this case, the problem lies not in constant dreams but in disturbances," he explains.
Is dreaming good for you?
"The better question is how you feel the next day [after dreaming]," says Dr. Wall. "If you wake feeling rested and alert, frequent dream recall is probably nothing to worry about."
Similarly, if you wake up feeling abruptly snatched from a dream, the problem probably isn't the amount of sleep you're getting, it's that your morning start isn't tuned to your sleep cycle (a sunrise alarm clock can help.)
"But if vivid dreams or nightmares are paired with poor sleep, anxiety, frequent wake-ups, or daytime fatigue, it may be worth taking a closer look at sleep quality,” says Dr. Wall.
Dr. Burns describes the most "effective criterion" for measuring sleep quality not your dreams, but your "state during the daytime."
So after a dream-filled night, ask yourself if you're showing signs of sleep deprivation, such as trouble thinking clearly, difficulty staying awake, and frequent mood swings.
If this sounds familiar, a good wind-down routine and a consistent sleep schedule can help you avoid 3 a.m. wake ups (or speak to a healthcare professional for a tailored plan.)
But if you feel alert and refreshed the next day, your dream-packed nights suggest you're moving through the sleep stages. So snuggle up and keep your fingers crossed for a happy trip to dreamland.
