When we sleep, external stimuli become part of our dreams. Our brain has the ability to integrate the ‘interference’ in dreams in order to make us remain in the sleeping state.
Therefore, there are several factors that influence your dreams and alter your events and experiences in the dream world. What are they?
Have you ever dreamed that your alarm clock was ringing? Such a dream can be caused by the sound coming from an alarm, and it shows how the sounds you hear may actually be incorporated into a dream and affect the story we see while we sleep.
German researchers studied the effect of external scents in dreams. They made the participants in the REM sleep phase smell either a “good” scent (roses) or a “bad” one (rotten eggs). Roses had a positive impact on the dreams of the participants, while the eggs didn’t.
Scientists explain that if we smell flowers or a nice perfume when we are awake, it will probably cause us positive emotions. So, the dream that you are having in your sleep follows the same pattern. There is also a biological explanation for this phenomenon, as the limbic system of the brain that regulates the perception of smell also controls emotions.
A recent study conducted in China showed that people who sleep face down frequently have erotic dreams or dreams in which someone is stalking them.
The explanation is that when we sleep in this posture, our genitals come in contact with the bed and, therefore, there is a subsequent stimulation. At the same time, breathing is prevented.
Another surprising finding is that we tend to better remember our dreams when we keep the same posture after waking up.
4. Psychological state
Naturally, your psychological states influence your dreams. Depression, for example, seems to have an impact on the colors we see in our dreams. The dreams in black and white or shades of gray can be a sign of depression.
Besides the colors, our psychological condition affects weather patterns in our dreams. Stress brings tornadoes, while mental calm brings sunny days.
5. Abstaining from something
When we are on a diet, sometimes we see mouth-watering dishes and desserts in our sleep. When you abstain from something, whether it is food, cigarettes, or anything else, then you will be more likely to see it in your dreams.
6. Medications and vitamins
The drugs you take influence your dreams in many different ways and intervene in the REM stage of sleep.
Nicotine patches, for example, often lead to vivid and life-like dreams. In addition, medications can also affect our ability to remember our dreams.
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