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While research is still unclear, dreaming has a lot to do with brain chemistry. During the REM phase of sleep (when you dream more vividly) there are different levels of neurotransmitters than when you are awake, particularly an abundance of acetylcholine.
Dreams can be more vivid than others depending on many factors that affect neurotransmitters in your brain. Anything from stress, to medication, disease, alcohol, drugs can make your dreams more or less real. Vivid dreams is a side effect of taking medications and withdrawal of some medications.
There is also documentation that people with certain medical conditions like bipolar disorder have vivid dreams. If you think about it from a chemistry perspective that is in tune with what i said above, because bipolars have disordered brain chemistry. Even pregnancy can cause vivid dreams (again, hormones affect brain chemistry)
I even found information about a supplement that claims to enhance vivid dreaming! It's called Brilliant Dreams.
Dreams can be more vivid than others depending on many factors that affect neurotransmitters in your brain. Anything from stress, to medication, disease, alcohol, drugs can make your dreams more or less real. Vivid dreams is a side effect of taking medications and withdrawal of some medications.
There is also documentation that people with certain medical conditions like bipolar disorder have vivid dreams. If you think about it from a chemistry perspective that is in tune with what i said above, because bipolars have disordered brain chemistry. Even pregnancy can cause vivid dreams (again, hormones affect brain chemistry)
I even found information about a supplement that claims to enhance vivid dreaming! It's called Brilliant Dreams.
source(s):
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0DE1D91730F93AA15751C1A961...
http://www.babycenter.com/0_vivid-dreams-disturbing-your-sleep_7523.bc
http://www.pregnancy-info.net/vivid_dreams.html
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/7346/rem_sleep_produces_vivid_drea...
http://bipolar.about.com/od/sleepissues/a/040729_dreams.htm
http://www.brilliantdreams.com/product/dream-faq.htm
http://www.drugs.com/enc/nightmares.html
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0DE1D91730F93AA15751C1A961...
http://www.babycenter.com/0_vivid-dreams-disturbing-your-sleep_7523.bc
http://www.pregnancy-info.net/vivid_dreams.html
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/7346/rem_sleep_produces_vivid_drea...
http://bipolar.about.com/od/sleepissues/a/040729_dreams.htm
http://www.brilliantdreams.com/product/dream-faq.htm
http://www.drugs.com/enc/nightmares.html
You’ve probably heard that spicy or fatty foods can give you nightmares, but the link between food and sleep goes beyond that. Vivid dreams are a symptom of a vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) excess in the body and can be a warning sign of more complex neurological disorders if over ingestion is continued. Most cases of vitamin B6 excess are due to supplements; limit intake to 100 milligrams (mg) or less per day to avoid toxicity.
Low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, is another cause of vivid dreams. When the brain senses that glucose levels are low, it will do strange things to get stored glucose into the blood stream. One way it does so is through adrenaline spurts. If your vivid dreams are accompanied by a feeling of being “wired” (if, like me, you find yourself doing ninja kicks around your bedroom at those pesky alien invaders), it likely stems from a blood sugar issue. I solved my problem by adding more protein to my diet, especially before going to sleep. It keeps my glucose levels regulated throughout the night and I sleep much more peacefully.
Low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, is another cause of vivid dreams. When the brain senses that glucose levels are low, it will do strange things to get stored glucose into the blood stream. One way it does so is through adrenaline spurts. If your vivid dreams are accompanied by a feeling of being “wired” (if, like me, you find yourself doing ninja kicks around your bedroom at those pesky alien invaders), it likely stems from a blood sugar issue. I solved my problem by adding more protein to my diet, especially before going to sleep. It keeps my glucose levels regulated throughout the night and I sleep much more peacefully.
This is an interesting answer, and it's great that you provided the link to back up the claims.
However, it looks like what you've written is copied exactly out of that resource to which you linked. In the future, try to write the answer in your own words based on your research. Or, if you're going to quote extensively from an outside source, it's best to note this in the answer and put quote marks around the response, so people know you are referencing someone else's writing.
However, it looks like what you've written is copied exactly out of that resource to which you linked. In the future, try to write the answer in your own words based on your research. Or, if you're going to quote extensively from an outside source, it's best to note this in the answer and put quote marks around the response, so people know you are referencing someone else's writing.
Good catch Lon. This answer is, in fact, cut and pasted and should have a note about that before the actual quote. For example, saying "According to WedMD: 'quoted text in here'"
This is a simple mistake folks make in the system... good that we're letting folks know how to properly cite stuff!
This is a simple mistake folks make in the system... good that we're letting folks know how to properly cite stuff!
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It is true that the research topic is not still clear and there isn't an official concensus regarding the actual definition of vivid dreams and what are the best parameters that determine when they are vivid or just dreams.
They are considered one of many RBDs (REM sleep behaviour disorder).
It is also true that neurotransmitters play important roles. That is because vivid dreams were more studied in patients whith neurotransmitters imbalances (like in Parkinson's disease).
(Curr Opin Neurol. 2008 Aug;21(4):472-7. Abnormal sleep and sleepiness in Parkinson's disease.)
This doesn't mean that the rest of us do not "suffer" from them, nor that if you do, then you have a neurotransmitter imbalance. It is just that we are rarely test subjects.
Considering how complex the problem is (an interesting) it is surprising how little research has been done in normal subjects.
Sure neurotransmitters are involved (they always are) and their alterations may cause vivid dreams directly. However, many other stimuli that could cause a momentaneous neurotransmitter imbalance (noise, smell, light, movement), could be candidates for the same effect.