Vivid Dreams While Pregnant

Why is this happening? 

Like we mentioned earlier, your body is going through many changes during pregnancy, and it affects many different aspects of your mental and physical health. This, according to scientists, is one of the possible reasons that having vivid or weird dreams is a common pregnancy symptom. An increase in hormone production is a big cause of this. Your hormones don’t just impact your emotions and anxiety but can also impact the way your brain processes information and emotions, possibly resulting in more vivid and frequent dreams while you are pregnant. 

A couple of research papers suggest that vivid dreams and even nightmares prevail among pregnant women^1,2. This is due to the increased worries that pregnant women face, among other common causes such as stress.

Another cause is that your normal sleep pattern is disrupted. From your child kicking up a fuss, to backaches or just getting up more than usual to pee, will impact REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep. Dreams happen during REM sleep and that can affect your dreams, even causing you to remember them more vividly than usual.

Having nightmares? No, it’s not a bad sign. It just means you’re experiencing more anxiety or stress than usual which is completely normal – you’re expecting! Don’t add more anxiety to yourself by trying to decipher what your nightmare means, especially since vivid dreams are a common symptom of pregnancy.

What can you do about vivid pregnancy dreams?  

If your pregnancy dreams are just simply more vivid and frequent, try finding out what could be the cause. If you think it’s because you’re not getting enough sleep, try new sleeping positions or times. This could help you reduce your vivid dreams.

If your pregnancy dreams or nightmares are a bit more stressful and make you feel nervous, you could start a “dream journal”. You could keep this by your bed and jot down your dreams after waking up. This can help you process and ease your anxiety.

However, if your nightmares are consistently too vivid and disturbing and make sleeping too difficult, you should consider talking about them with someone you trust. Your partner, friend or maybe even a therapist. Your mental health is just as important as your physical one to ensure the best for you and your child, so take time to address any fears or doubts you may have on this new journey!

Tips to achieve better quality sleep at night

There are conscious decisions that you can make to sleep better at night. While there is no guarantee that you won’t experience vivid or weird dreams in your pregnancy days, these can get you closer to quality, deep sleep.

1. Don’t drink too much water before going to bed

Drinking water is healthy for the body, but having too much of it prior to sleeping at night may backfire. The urge to pee is one of the many culprits that ruin one’s deep sleep, and should never be underestimated. For a start, try cultivating the habit of staying away from water 1-2 hours before your sleep. This little change can go a long way for your sleep quality. If you are unfortunate enough to be woken up in the middle of the night because of this, you may experience vivid or weird dreams, especially in your pregnancy days.

2. Slow down with gadget usages before bed

It can be tempting to catch that one last episode of your favourite drama series, or watch a couple of extra Instagram reels before you have a shut-eye. If you didn’t know, the blue light from your smartphone or tablet screen can restrain the production of melatonin, the hormone that controls your sleep-wake cycle. Long story short, gadgets can make it harder for you to fall asleep, and make it more tiring when you wake up in the morning.

3. Create a conducive sleeping environment for yourself

Start with the things that directly affect your sleep quality, such as your bed, mattress, and pillows. Look for pillows and beddings that are comfy and welcoming. Next, look at the types of lighting you use in your room. For instance, switching to a table lamp with warm lighting an hour before bedtime. Another thing that you can consider adding is an aromatherapy diffuser to promote good sleep quality and reduce the likelihood of vivid dreams in your pregnancy days. However, if you plan to add an aromatherapy diffuser in your sleeping area, consult your doctor beforehand.

4. Avoid napping, especially in the evening

Napping helps you rest and recuperate to keep you going for the rest of the day. But it may not be the best idea to nap in the evening or late evening as you may end up feeling restless come bedtime. It becomes challenging to resist the urge to nap when you had a long day, but you must brave through. 

5. Perform activities that help you relax before bedtime

There are a couple of things you can do to condition yourself to sleep better. Firstly, take a warm shower as it can help you relax your body muscles. Secondly, you can try meditating as it helps you release stress and gain a different perspective on things. Lastly, you can try out caffeine-free bedtime teas. 

Frisomum® Gold – The Formula Milk Filled with Nutrients For a Healthier Pregnancy

To address the specific needs of mums-to-be, maternal milk is often recommended as it helps balance both your and your child’s nutritional needs safely. Not to mention, the peace of mind it brings. We have formulated Frisomum® Gold with both mum and child in mind, and its unique Dual Care+ formula supports you on your pregnancy journey. Some of the vital nutrients that Frisomum® Gold provides you with include:

Vitamin D - Vitamin D is necessary for the absorption and utilisation of calcium and phosphorus³.

Calcium - Helps in the normal growth and development of bones and teeth⁴.

Vitamin B12 - Needed for red blood cell production and the healthy functioning of the nervous system⁵.

Folic Acid - Folic acid is essential for growth and division of cells. Folate plays a role in the formation of red blood cells. Folate helps to maintain the growth and development of the foetus⁶.

Iodine - Essential for the formation of thyroid hormones, which supports brain development⁷.

Low glycemic index - The glycaemic index (GI) is a rating system for foods containing carbohydrates. It shows how quickly food affects your blood sugar (glucose) level when eaten on its own. The low glycemic index (GI) could help the mother avoid being overweight during pregnancy.

When you consider pregnancy milk powder, it is also best to consider the origins of the milk, the process of manufacturing, and nutrient content as well as one which helps you control weight gain during pregnancy. Frisomum® Gold preserves the natural nutrients of the milk to give you what you need in your pregnancy journey. Now that you are aware of the importance of maternal milk/susu, check out Frisomum® Gold.

Keep in mind that you need to relax and that these dreams are completely normal. However, if they seem to appear more vivid and you find them disturbing, do seek advice from a professional. It would help a lot to research confinement centres for after you deliver your child. New mothers can support each other as they understand one another's afflictions and concerns best.

References:

1. Nielsen, T., & Paquette, T. (2007, September). Dream-associated behaviors affecting pregnant and postpartum women. Sleep. Retrieved March 15, 2023, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1978400/ 
2. Schredl, M., Gilles, M., Wolf, I., Peus, V., Scharnholz, B., Sütterlin, M., & Deuschle, M. (2016, November 9). Nightmare frequency in last trimester of pregnancy - BMC pregnancy and childbirth. BioMed Central. Retrieved March 15, 2023, from https://bmcpregnancychildbirth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12884-016-1147-x 
3. Vitamin D. (2022). Retrieved 14 June 2022, from https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/vitamin-d/ 
4. Calcium. (2022). Retrieved 14 June 2022, from https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/calcium/ 
5. B Vitamins. (2022). Retrieved 14 June 2022, from https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/vitamins/vitamin-b/
6. https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/keeping-well/vitamins-supplements-and-nutrition/#:~:text=Folic%20acid%20before%20and%20during,tube%20defects%2C%20including%20spina%20bifida.
7. https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/kidsfamilies/MCFhealth/maternity/Pages/iodine-supplements-factsheet.aspx#:~:text=How%20much%20iodine%20do%20pregnant,micrograms%20per%20day%20when%20breastfeeding.