Have you ever had a few months where your dreams seemed to disappear?
Your nights used to be filled with wild adventures and strange happenings.
But then, all of it just…stopped. Every morning you woke up with a blank slate, unable to recall the tiniest fragment of what had passed in the night.
Then, out of the blue, your dreams started coming back, as vivid and lively as ever.
If you’re scratching your head at this sudden change in your nighttime escapades, read on. I’ve got some surprising reasons why you might be dreaming again.
1. You’re Finally Getting Enough Sleep
I know, I know – how could this be surprising?
But seriously, think about it: are you getting more hours of sleep lately?
If it’s a newfound habit, you might have just found the golden ticket to your long-lost dreams.
I hate to state the obvious, but dreams happen at night, and to dream, you must sleep.
And not just sleep, but actual quality sleep. You can’t cut corners on that either.
Meeting the recommended 7-9 hours (or whatever your unique sleep needs may be) can do wonders for your dreams.
Because here’s the thing: contrary to what you might think, dreaming is not always a good sign.
More accurately, not being able to remember your dreams means you’re not clocking the right kind of sleep.
If you’ve spent months tossing and turning, it’s likely you’ve been short-changing yourself on dreams too.
But, if you’re starting to dream again, it might mean you’ve finally turned a corner and are sleeping deeply enough to do so.
So, kudos on finally getting your beauty rest!
2. You’ve Changed Your Diet
Now here’s a curveball.
Ever thought the food on your plate could impact your long-lost dreams?
Well, if you’ve been making some changes to what you eat, that might be the secret behind your resurging dreams.
I speak from personal experience on this one.
I recently started eating more bananas and lo and behold – my dreams seemed to have acquired some super-power.
And it turns out there’s science behind this.
You see, bananas are an excellent source of vitamin B6, a nutrient that plays a vital role in the production of neurotransmitters, including those involved in dreaming.
But it’s not just bananas – other B6-rich foods like chickpeas, salmon, and spinach can also do the trick.
So, if you’ve added any of these to your diet, you just might have found the missing ingredient for some eye-opening dreams.
It’s worth noting that a deficiency in vitamin B6 can have the opposite effect and leave you dreamless. So, if you’re not a fan of the foods I’ve mentioned, a supplement might be worth considering.
3. Stress Has (Finally) Taken a Back Seat
I bet you were expecting this one, but hear me out.
Contrary to popular belief, it’s not just stress that can take your dreams hostage – it can also cause them to surge forth.
And let’s face it – stress is a sneaky little devil, isn’t it?
Sometimes it zaps your dreams away, leaving you tossing and turning all night.
Other times it ramps things up, causing you to have feverishly awful nightmares.
So, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to stress and dreams.
Still, if you’ve had a particularly stressful period that seems to have melted away, that’s a promising reason why your dreams have come back.
It’s no secret that stress can leave a hefty mark on your sleep, dreams included.
When your mind is racing and you have a mountain of worries on your plate, it’s no wonder your imagination takes a bit of a hit.
The good news is that once the storm passes, your dreams often come thundering back.
So, if you find yourself in a calmer and more peaceful state of late, it’s likely you’ve thrown the door wide open for some fantastical dreams to make their grand entrance.
4. You’ve Started a New Hobby
Ah, hobbies – is there anything they can’t do?
The answer, it seems, is no. Especially when it comes to dreams.
If you’ve recently picked up a new pastime and find yourself entertaining all sorts of exciting ideas in your sleep, you can probably chalk it up to your new hobby.
Humans have this funny way of fixating on the things they love, don’t they?
So, if you’re spending all day engrossed in your new knitting project (no judgement, it’s on my to-do list too), it’s no wonder your mind is keeping the party going whilst you snooze.
Similarly, if you’ve taken to gardening or are spending hours with your nose buried in a book, your dreams might be basking in the afterglow.
The point is, a new hobby – or gradually ramping up an old one – can do wonders for the vitality of your dreams.
5. You’ve Been Working Out
I bet you didn’t see this one coming!
Sure, you already know that regular exercise works wonders for your physical health and mental well-being.
But your dreams?
Well, yes. As it turns out, hitting the gym can be as effective as an express delivery service for your dreams.
Let me break it down for you: when you work out, one of the many benefits is the release of endorphins – the feel-good hormones.
These little guys do more than just put a spring in your step – they can also kickstart some pretty incredible dreams.
On top of that, regular exercise has been shown to improve sleep quality overall.
So, if you’re getting your exercise fix and your dreams are jumping for joy as a result, then I’d say you’ve discovered a winning combination for a healthy and dreamy lifestyle.
6. Your Medications Have Changed
Nobody likes to be on a long list of medications, but sometimes we don’t have a choice.
And here’s the thing about medications – they can play some pretty wild tricks on your dreams.
So, if you’ve recently started or stopped taking a medication and find your dreams doing backflips, it’s likely not an act of your imagination but a side effect of the prescription.
Certain meds, like those for depression and anxiety, have been known to dampen dreams. In fact, they’re one of the reasons why people go through those soul-sucking dreamless periods I mentioned earlier.
On the flip side, other medications – like the ones they give you for allergies – can send your dreams into overdrive.
The same goes for some sleep medications, ironically. Whilst they’re designed to help you sleep, they can sometimes unleash some baffling and vivid dreams.
So, if your pharmacy runs have changed and your dreams are serving up a dish of the unexpected, be sure to dig into the side effects section of your new medication.
And hey – it’s still worth mentioning this to your doc, just to be safe.
Side note: those colourful dreams I mentioned after eating bananas? Rest assured it’s not a medication – just plain old vitamin B6 doing its thing!
7. You’ve Cut Back on Screen Time
It’s the 21st century, which means you’re probably spending the majority of your day staring at one screen or another.
And whilst this is great for staying connected and getting things done, it’s not so great for your dreams.
You see, all those screens – be it your phone, tablet, or TV – emit a blue light that messes with your circadian rhythm.
Basically, it tells your brain that it’s no longer daytime and confuses the heck out of your internal sleep-wake cycle.
The result? Trouble falling asleep and trouble dreaming.
If you’ve been having sleepless nights in the past, chances are you were also entranced by the blue light of your devices.
But the good news is that if you’ve recently hopped on the screen time reduction train, you might be catching some Z’s and dreams as a result.
By swapping your late-night Instagram scrolls for a book or dimming your screens in the evening, you’re giving your brain a cue that it’s time to wind down and get ready for some quality dreams.
So, as much as I hate to say it, maybe it’s time to break up with your screens (or at least put them to bed before you do) if you want to get cozy with some incredible dreamscapes.
8. You’ve Moved House
Big changes often bring about big dreams!
And it doesn’t come much bigger than uprooting your life and moving to a new place.
So, if you find that your dreams started kicking into high gear after a recent move, it’s not all that surprising.
Moving is no small feat – it comes with a whole host of emotions and challenges, both during the process and even afterwards.
All of this can act as the perfect catalyst for some jaw-dropping dreams.
Your new surroundings, the stress of packing and unpacking, the excitement of a fresh start – all of these ingredients bubbling away can create a rich and vivid dream life.
In fact, you might even find yourself daydreaming about your new home just as much as you’re night-dreaming about it.
So, whether you’re waking up in a cold sweat or with a big smile on your face – congrats on the move, and I hope your dreamy adventures continue to delight and not fright!
9. There’s a New Addition to Your Family
Before you get all excited, I’m not talking about tiny humans.
Although, let’s be honest, they can be the greatest catalysts for some out-of-this-world dreams.
But what I really mean are those furry, four-legged creatures we call pets.
If you’ve recently welcomed a new fluffball into your life, it might explain why you’ve also welcomed a burst of dreams.
New pets bring with them a whole lot of joy, a decent amount of chaos, and a fresh dash of love.
And guess what? All of this can translate into some pretty magical dreams.
Whether you find yourself chasing your new kitten through a field of sunflowers or teaching your puppy how to fetch in a mystical forest, your dreams are likely soaking in the new pet paradise you’ve created in your waking life.
So, give that little ball of fur a pat from me, enjoy your real-life adventures together, and cherish the dreamy ones that are bound to follow.
10. It’s All in the Stars
Now, I’m not about to try and predict your dreams based on your zodiac sign – I’ll leave that to the astrologers.
But I will say this: the stars might just have a hand in why you’re dreaming again.
You see, there’s a concept known as the “thick atmosphere theory” which suggests that we tend to dream more when the moon is full or nearing full.
The idea is that the extra light in the night sky during this time creates a kind of “daytime at night,” making it easier for our brains to conjure up dreams.
Now, this theory is up for debate, and I’m not about to give you a concrete reason to go howling at the moon.
But hey, next time you find yourself with a head full of dreams around the lunar cycle, perhaps you can blame the big cheese in the sky for your newfound dreamland adventures.