Non REM Dream States: Well worth a read.

**moonshine** · 11-09-2008 06:41 PM

Just read this from a musty old dream book. Though it worth sharing:

Dreams were once thought to be exclusive to the REM state, but researchers later discovered that dreaming also takes place during other stages of sleep.

Dreams arisign during non-REM sleep are shorter and less visual and vivid than their REM counterpart. Usually concerned with current problems, they often involve logical reasoning and don't seem like dreams at all; many people experience them as periods of being awake and "just thinking."

Well I've been there often enough, especially when stressed.

Dreams also occur during the Hypnogogic state - that transitory period between wakefullness and sleep. These dreams usually involve strange body sensations, surrealistic conversations, and hallucinations. They are similar to REM dreams in nature, but are shorter and don't involve Rapid Eye Movement.

Not news to many I guess, but I though it was a good summary.
Especially the "just thinking" bit. I often slip from REM dreams into that headspace. This is were you need to wake yourself up of you want to remember a dream.

Theres been the odd occasion (especially when stressed) that I've had thoughts rattling around in my head all night - sometimes with no rhyme or reason.

**Licity** · 11-09-2008 06:44 PM

So those times I lay there thinking about random things could actually be N-REM dreams? I might have to do a reality check next time I do that.

**Dizko** · 11-09-2008 07:07 PM

I think ive had this before.

I put my head on the pillow and after what must have been around 30-60mins later i caught myself going frantically over the biology notes i had studied that day. It was weird, i just sort of noticed my brain doing all this work.

As soon as i noticed though, i was knocked unconcious. Lol weird.

**gigaschatten** · 11-10-2008 01:35 AM

That's no news, but that information did not reach many people yet. They simply woke people in a sleeping lab that were in various sleep stages and asked if and what they dreamed. The result was that people infrequently dreamed during all stages of sleep or at least that dream recall was more or less clear for varying sleep stages. REM stage had the most positives though.

**imj** · 11-10-2008 01:44 AM

Does the book explain further on brain function/activity during the sleep stages? Like is there any inherent thought patterns etc. I find only certain 'frequency' of thoughts get through but question is does it come from stage 2 right before REM or when REM happens.

IMJ