LIFESTYLE
What Rarely Dreaming At Night Really Means For You
By ANNA DENSON
There are all kinds of sleepers, but if you’re someone who wakes up disappointed you didn’t have any vivid dreams, there may be a reason behind this. You might assume a dreamless sleep means uninterrupted rest, but this is not necessarily true, as dreamless sleep might be a sign of underlying health issues.
A lack of dreams may be due to sleep apnea, which is when your breathing gets interrupted while you’re unconscious. Sleep health expert Dr. Sujay Kansagra says, “Sleep apnea tends to be worse during REM sleep (the stage in which we have the most vivid dreams) so this stage of sleep becomes very disrupted with frequent awakenings, thereby preventing dreaming.”
To determine if you have sleep apnea, go to a medical center where your brain activity can be monitored, and if you have it, you may be advised to quit smoking, moderate alcohol intake, lose weight, use nasal decongestants, and avoid sleeping on your back. If your sleep apnea is caused by neurological issues, you may be directed to use a positive airway pressure machine.