Qn: I have been having this problem for the last few years, and I don't remember when was the last time I had slept soundly since I started university, which was 12 years ago.
I usually sleep around 11pm to 12am and wake up about 7am-7.30am for work. While I would usually be able to fall asleep, I realised that I would be dreaming towards the end of my sleep, ie, just before I wake up. This happens everyday without fail (I am not joking. I cannot remember when was the last time I didn't dream). I would also usually be able to remember my dreams when I woke up, and this became more pronounced during the last few years as my dreams become more vivid, and I would know that I am dreaming sometimes. I end up waking up feeling tired, as if I had not slept for the past 6-7 hours, with eye bags and dark eye circles as a result.
I have tried whatever I can to make sure that I can have quality sleep: reducing activities before sleep, having routine sleeping hours...but I just can't seem to be able to avoid having dreams. And this is taking a toll on my daily life, as I feel tired throughout the day, though I can still function at work and last through the day until bedtime. The eye bags and dark eye circles have given me a sickly look, though superficial but nevertheless led me to think if there is really something wrong with me or my health.
Please advise what I can do, as I cannot imagine continuing this type of dream-sleep habit for the rest of my life. I really appreciate your assistance. Thank you in advance!
Pauline Wan
Ans: It is normal to have several dream-sleep cycles per night. Most of the time, however, we also have alternating deep sleep, which leads to the average person not remembering the dreams.
When a person has poor sleep, the sleep cycles may be very light, ie stage 2 or 3 with multiple awakenings (see below). Then one may remember the dreams more frequently and have disturbed sleep.
It may be necessary for the person to get a professional evaluation to clarify the reasons for the poor sleep, which are often from anxiety, depressive disorders or chronic stress in their lives. Then sleep might improve.
Answer contributed by: Dr Chew Peng Hoe, Consultant Psychiatrist and Head, Aviation Medicine and Psychology, ParkwayShenton
The information provided here is intended for educational purposes only. Please consult a doctor if you are not feeling well. AsiaOne disclaims any and all liability for injury or other damages that could result from use of the information obtained from this article.
Stage 1 is drowsiness lasting about five or 10 minutes. Stage 2 is light sleep, during which eye movements stop, heart rate slows and body temperature decreases. Stages 3 and 4 are called deep sleep and Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep or dream sleep. This is supposed to occur about 70 to 90 minutes into the sleep cycle and the eyes jerk in various directions under the eyelids. There are usually three to five REM episodes per night.
