What phase of sleep do you dream?

My son used to wake up crying from bad dreams during his exams. His doctor explained that stress disrupts the normal REM sleep cycle where dreams occur. We started reading calming stories together before bed, and it helped him sleep much better.

When my blood sugar levels fluctuate at night, my sleep cycle gets totally disturbed and I barely get any REM sleep. Eating a light, low-carb dinner helps maintain stable sugars, which in turn gives much better sleep and normal dreaming cycles.

I actually tracked my sleep with my smartwatch and noticed my dream recall is much higher when my REM phase is longer. It is fascinating how our minds process daily thoughts during this specific stage. Getting unbroken sleep is so important.

Most dreaming happens in the REM phase of our sleep cycle. To get healthy REM sleep, try to avoid looking at your mobile screen for at least an hour before going to bed. It helps the brain produce natural melatonin.

If you think your dream phases are highly disturbed and you wake up tired, look into a sleep study. Instead of going to expensive private clinics, check government hospitals which offer polysomnography at very nominal rates.