Sleep and Dreams

To Sleep, perchance to dream...

I have a bit of a confession. I'm a lousy sleeper and have been doing some research on getting a better night's sleep. It turns out I'm doing it all wrong... :). I'm one of those people whose head hits the pillow and I'm out within a minute or two, but then I wake up a few hours later and can't fall back asleep. I average about 5-6 hours of sleep a night.

Sleep websites recommend 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night, but it's easier said than done.

Sleep is one of those luxury commodities we can't seem to buy enough of no matter the cost. The experts will tell you that sleep is the number one priority for good health. It is essential for the body's physical repair, cognitive functions and emotional well-being as well as immune system support.

Yet, for many of us, sleep is elusive and despite our best efforts, we toss and turn and mull over the day's events in the quiet hours when everything is still and we should be sleeping. The usual tips for better sleep are inconsistent with the lifestyle of most of us today:

• Caffeine has a half-life of ~5-6 hours which means that a cup of coffee at 4PM can still be active at 10PM.

• Nicotine has a ~2-hour half-life but it spikes alertness and heart rate which disrupts sleep's onset.

• Energy drinks/pre-workout drinks often contain caffeine + other stimulants (yohimbine, synephrine) that extend alertness even longer.

• Alcohol in the evening fragments sleep and suppresses the restorative REM stage.

• Eating within three hours of bedtime will interfere with your sleep pattern.

• Electronics are a huge problem - In order to get better sleep, it's best to wind down screens (Phone, tablets, television) for about an hour or more before bedtime.

• Drinking anything too close to bedtime may cause nighttime wakeups.

• Inconsistent time to go to bed will interfere with your body's rhythm - if you consistently go to bed at 10PM during the week but stay up until midnight or later on the weekends, expect your body to revolt.

If you're like most people, you're guilty of some, if not all of the above. But if you are serious about the health benefits of a good night's sleep, look at these benefits:

Physical health

• Heart health: Blood pressure and heart rate drop during sleep, reducing strain on the cardiovascular system and lowering risk of heart attack and stroke.

• Blood sugar regulation: Deep sleep helps cells respond to insulin, reducing risk of type 2 diabetes.

• Muscle repair and recovery: Growth hormone is released during sleep, rebuilding tissue and supporting muscle growth.

• Immune function: Sleep strengthens immune cells, helps fight off infections, and even improves vaccine effectiveness.

• Weight management: Poor sleep disrupts appetite-regulating hormones, increasing hunger and the likelihood of weight gain.

Mental and cognitive health

• Memory and focus: The brain consolidates memories and clears waste products during sleep, sharpening concentration and learning.

• Mood and emotional regulation: Inadequate sleep raises the risk of irritability, anxiety, and depression.

• Stress relief: Good sleep helps brain cells recover from stress, and waking refreshed reduces baseline anxiety.

Most adults need 7 to 9 hours per night to experience these benefits consistently.

In addition to improving some of the habits above, there are certain environmentals you can employ to help aid in sleep:

• Keep the room cool (around 65–67°F / 18–19°C)

• Use blackout curtains or an eye mask to block light

• Reduce noise with earplugs or a white noise machine

• Reserve the bedroom for sleep and intimacy only - move that bedroom television to another room of the house.

Most of us understand that there are different stages to sleep - To simplify things, there are two main types - NON-REM (NREM) and REM (Rapid Eye Movements). But to further break down each of them:

Non-REM (NREM) Sleep

NREM sleep consists of three stages, progressing from light to deep sleep:

• Stage 1 (N1): This is the lightest stage, marking the transition from wakefulness to sleep. Brain activity slows, muscles relax, and heart rate and breathing begin to decrease. You are easily awakened during this stage, which typically makes up about 5% of total sleep time.

• Stage 2 (N2): A deeper light sleep where body temperature drops and brain waves show bursts of activity called sleep spindles. This stage is the longest, often referred to as the "workhorse" of sleep, and is crucial for memory consolidation and overall rest.

• Stage 3 (N3): Known as deep or slow-wave sleep, this stage is essential for physical restoration. The body repairs tissues, builds bone and muscle, and strengthens the immune system. Awakening from this stage can leave you feeling groggy.

REM Sleep

REM (Rapid Eye Movement) Sleep: This stage is characterized by active brain activity similar to wakefulness, rapid eye movements, and temporary paralysis of skeletal muscles. REM sleep is when most dreaming occurs and plays a key role in emotional regulation, memory processing, and brain maintenance. It usually begins about 90 minutes after falling asleep and lengthens with each sleep cycle.

Sleep Cycles

A typical night involves four to six cycles of NREM and REM sleep, each lasting approximately 90–110 minutes. Early cycles are dominated by deep NREM sleep, while later cycles contain longer REM periods. This cycling ensures both physical restoration and cognitive processing.

Adults spend roughly 75% of the night in NREM sleep and 25% in REM sleep, with the balance shifting toward REM in the later part of the night.

We've talked about the importance of sleep, what causes us NOT to sleep well and the types and stages of sleep. Let's pivot for a minute to dreams.

Experts categorize dreams into several types:

• Ordinary (Non-Lucid) Dreams - this is your run of the mill every day, often chaotic dreams that occur during REM sleep.

• Lucid Dreams - You realize you're dreaming while dreaming.

• Nightmares - Emotional intense dreams driven by fear or threat.

• Recurring Dreams - Same dream theme or scenario repeating over time.

• Prophetic or "Premonition" Dreams - This isn't something supernatural but your brain predicting an outcome based on subtle clues. Sometimes déjà vu falls in this category.

• Healing or Processing Dreams - Dreams that help you work through grief, trauma or major life transitions.

• Creative or Problem-Solving Dreams - Your brain continues working on a problem while you sleep.

I'm one of the 12% of people who only dreams in black and white with one exception. I had a very vividly colorful dream once while under anesthetic. so, it IS possible for me to dream in color but just doesn't happen normally. I also experienced a phenomenon after my parents passed away that I would see them in my dreams but could never make out their faces for many years and only recently can I see and hear them in my dreams. It turns out this is an actual occurrence called prosopagnosia or "face blindness" and is fairly common.

According to the website, Somnorium, the 10 most common dreams that people have are:

• Falling

• Being chased

• Flying

• Being naked in public

• Teeth falling out

• Being unprepared for an exam on important event

• Being Late for something

• Encountering a dead person

• Being trapped or unable to move

• Water related dreams

I can absolutely relate to all of these except my teeth falling out. I did experience a water related dream while staying at a friend's home in Chicago and the waterbed in the guest room sprung a leak, so not 100% sure that counts.

There you have it. Sleep and dreams in one tidy post for your reading pleasure. Hope you enjoyed it!