You’d be amazed how many things can affect your dreams. No one really knows why we dream, but science has shown what can change them.
Dreams are an expression of the subconscious. Almost everything in your life influences your dream. Some things affect dreams more than others.
These are five things that strongly influence your dreams. If you use them right, they can improve the quality of your dreams.
- Food
You are what you eat. Your dreams are also what you eat.
Like everything on earth, food is made of various chemical compounds.
Chemicals directly influence brain activity. Food chemicals directly affect neurological activity.
Bad eating habits will disrupt your sleep schedule. They will also negatively impact your sleep quality. Bad sleep leads to bad dreams.
A healthy diet is essential for high-quality sleep.
Make sure you regularly eat enough fruits and vegetables.
Before you go to bed, avoid food with high sugar contents. This includes fruit.
Foods high in melatonin will help you sleep better. Dairy products like milk, yogurt, and cheese are ideal nighttime snacks. Ice cream should be avoided because of the sugar.
Bananas also have a significant melatonin content.
Caffeine should obviously be avoided before bed. Alcohol will help you fall asleep, but it will interfere with sleep quality.
High melatonin levels lead to vivid, more realistic dreams.
- Cannabis
It’s no secret that cannabis makes you sleepy.
Many users report having more vivid dreams after smoking weed.
Unlike alcohol, cannabis does not affect the quality of your sleep. In fact, studies have shown that cannabis can improve sleep and dreams.
Marijuana should always be bought from dispensaries. Dispensaries are licensed and undergo strict quality controls.
Certain strains of cannabis are better suited than others for sleep. You need to make sure you’re using the right kind.
Other cannabis-related products can assist with sleep.
CBD oils can improve the quality of your sleep. They can help relax your muscles and relieve pain and stress. CBD products contain little to no THC.
Since CBD products don’t contain THC, they won’t make you high.
There are no negative side effects associated with CBD or cannabis use.
- Stress
If you’re stressed, your sleep will be stressed.
Sleep is necessary to relieve stress. Low-quality sleep increases stress.
You may notice that your stress reappears in your dreams. If you’re overwhelmed at work, you might experience nightmares at work.
Stress might manifest itself in other ways in dreams.
If you suffer from nightmares or painful dreams, you’re probably stressed.
You might not even realize the extent to which stress is affecting your life.
Yoga, meditation, and exercise are healthy ways to relieve stress. Maintain a balanced, healthy diet. Make time for yourself.
Seek help before your stress becomes overwhelming.
Talking about your stress will help you relieve it. Therapy is a great tool for stress relief. Communicate your problems with your friends and family.
Reducing stress will lead to better dreams.
- Sleeping Positions
The way you sleep affects your sleep quality.
Unsurprisingly, it will also affect your dreams. This could be for good or bad.
Here is an overview of different sleeping positions and how they affect your sleep quality. You might be sleeping incorrectly without even knowing it.
If you travel frequently, you’ll notice it affects your dreams.
Sleeping in different places puts stress on your body. A good sleep cycle is established by a healthy sleep routine. Even sleeping on the couch disrupts your sleep.
To change your dreams, try changing your sleeping position.
- Electronics
Light from electronic screens affects your chemicals.
White lights from TVs, computers, and cell phones will keep you up at night.
Turn off all electronics an hour or so before going to bed. This will help your body naturally produce melatonin.
Most computers have a nightlight function. Turn this on at night.
Nightlight settings make the computer produce a yellow-tinted light. This is healthier than the usual white light.
Turn on a lamp and read a book before going to bed.
Maybe even light a candle.
Conclusion
The key to good dreams is good sleep. All of the things on this list directly affect the quality of your sleep. Altering them can improve your sleep.
