There's A Reason You Have Bizarre And Vivid Dreams After Drinking

If you ever have weird and vivid dreams after a night on the bevvies, you can take comfort in the fact that you are definitely not alone.

Numerous people have reported having bizarre dreams after drinking, and mattress company Otty said there's a reason why.

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Speaking to The Sun, they explained: "When you go to bed following a heavy night of drinking, the quality of sleep you enjoy is actually poorer.

"The blood alcohol level in your system will drop once you stop consuming alcohol, leaving you in a shallow state of sleep, and with frequent disturbances and waking throughout the night.

"So when you fall into REM sleep (the stage of sleep you dream in), you're more likely to recall your dreams."

Since you're halfway between being awake and asleep, the sleep experts said there's more chance you'll wake up with a detailed memory of the dream you were having.

"The alcohol in your system mixed with the state of limbo will often leave you experiencing vivid and nightmare-fueled dreams," they continued.

"Your body is trying to gather as much information as possible from its environment, which may not be so black and white after a night of drinking."

There's also a psychological component attached, especially if you're an emotional drinker.

"If you're typically an emotional drinker, these thoughts and emotions can manifest themselves into the content of your dreams, leaving you with intensely haunting or evocative dreams," they added.

And this is all before the actual hangover kicks in, which we all know is a whole other world of pain - before the pizza turns up, that is.

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Discussing those dreaded morning afters, they said: "Your brain will be functioning at a slower rate, meaning you will really struggle to concentrate.

"You will also very likely get dark circles ('bags') under the eyes. This is due to the blood vessels dilating.

"Your sex drive can plummet after just 24 hours of sleep deprivation, due to being too exhausted to feel aroused.

"Because your body is struggling to cope with exhaustion, you will likely have an increased muscle tension, which can cause tremors."

Sounds grim when you put it like that. But if you still want to enjoy a few bevvies with your pals but you don't want the hangover, there are some things you can do, explained Otty: "Try and limit yourself to just a few drinks, avoid that extra Sambuca shot and make sure to get a good night's sleep."

Yes, it may not be the answer you wanted to hear, but most medical professionals will agree that prevention really is the best way to avoid hangovers and those messed-up booze-fuelled dreams.

Topics: Alcohol, Hangover, Sleeping

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