Insomnia, a sleep disorder that makes it difficult to fall asleep at night and stay asleep for the duration of the night, affects nearly thirty percent of adults under forty. Older adults often see increasing sleep problems with age, as well. Insomnia can affect your sleep cycles dramatically, leading to changes in dreaming in some cases.
Understanding Sleep Patterns
Every night when you sleep your body goes through several stages of rest. There are four initial stages of sleep that lead to REM sleep, where your body is in the deepest sleep possible. It is during REM sleep that most of your dreams occur. When you suffer from insomnia the initial result is a decrease in REM sleep. When you are short on REM sleep for one night, the next time you go to sleep your brain will immediately enter the REM stage the next time you fall asleep.
Typically, REM sleep is about a fifth of the total nights sleep. You dream for about twenty percent of the night, however. There is a difference in the dreams that occur during REM sleep and during lighter periods of sleep. During REM sleep your body enters a paralyzed state that prevents movements. This state is important because it prevents you from acting out your dreams.
Why REM Sleep Is Important
REM sleep is important both psychologically and physically. The leading causes of insomnia are stress and depression, but a lack of sleep can actually make stress and depression worse. Some psychologists believe that dreaming is the body's way of dealing with daily life, and that dreams allow you to make sense of your world. When you don't get enough sleep, the natural REM cycle is disrupted. During REM sleep, active dreams help you deal with daily stressors and assist you in relieving stress.