I have very vivid dreams - can they mean anything

sporty asks:

A. Vivid dreams tend to be the ones you have just before waking up. Just about everything that goes through your head at night is forgotten by morning, and even your vivid dreams will fade quickly unless you write them down.

Q. Does everyone dream
A. Yes. Research shows that our most vivid dreams come during Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep. At this time, your brain is very active, your eyes move rapidly under the lids, and your body is completely relaxed. REM sleep occurs every hour and half or so, about three or four times a night, and increases in length towards morning. Your last REM period can last as long as 45 minutes. That is when the most vivid dreams occur - and you are more likely to remember them because you are likely to wake up afterwards.

Q. Is it significant if they're in colour
A. No, most dreams are in colour but, again, you tend to forget your dreams so you'll have difficulty remembering the details, too. However. if colour is something you're normally very aware of during the day, you're more likely to remember seeing colour in your dreams.

Q. How can I remember my dreams more clearly
A. As you go to bed, remind yourself that you want to remember your dreams. Put a notebook and pen by your bed. When you wake up, try not to move too much or think about anything else. Write down everything you can remember about your dreams, even the vaguest details, or you'll quickly forget.

Q. Can I control my dreams
A. 'Lucid dreaming' is when you become aware that you are dreaming, usually because something highly unlikely happens in your dream and you question it. With lucid dreaming, you usually know that what you are seeing isn't real and you can often change the course of your dream or choose to wake up.

Q. Is it true that if you dream that you are falling from a great height that you will die when you hit the ground
A. Absolutely not. That's just a myth.

Q. Do dreams have meaning
A. It depends who you ask. Scientists would argue against it, but there are plenty of dream experts who analyse dreams, and even more people who use their dreams for inspiration - artists and writers, for example. To find out what yours mean, visit Dreamweavers, a Jungian dream analysis website.

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By Sheena Miller