It’s a familiar scene. You’re lying in bed, exhausted but restless. So, you flick on the TV, open YouTube, or let a podcast run to quiet the racing thoughts or fill the silence. Before you know it, you’ve drifted off while a late-night talk show host or your favorite television series hums in the background. For many people, sleeping with the TV on feels like the only way to get a good night’s rest. But is it really helping? Or is it quietly sabotaging your sleep quality and long-term health? Let’s explore what the science says about TV shows, background noise, and sleep, along with healthier alternatives that can help your mind and body truly recharge. Is It a Good Idea to Sleep with the TV On? There’s been a lot of research into how the technology we use every day affects our sleep, stress levels, weight, and even our...

You go to bed expecting a peaceful night, but wake up feeling shaken, replaying bizarre imagery, unusual scenes, maybe nightmares. Why do dreams sometimes get unusually vivid, strange, or unsettling? And when does it become more than just a “weird night”? Below, we’ll unpack the science behind weird dreams, the various culprits, and concrete ways to calm things down, so you can return to more restful nights. What’s Going On in Your Brain When Dreams Get Weird? To understand why your dreams sometimes feel unusually vivid, strange, or even unsettling, it helps to look at what’s happening in the brain while you sleep. Sleep isn’t one long, steady state. Instead, your body cycles through different stages several times each night. In the early stages of non-REM (NREM) sleep, your body relaxes and brain activity slows down. Stages one and two are considered light sleep, while stage three is known as...

A dream is lucid when it feels vivid and real (sometimes, hazier), but you know it isn't. It often happens during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, and last for about 10 minutes. When you lucid dream, you’re aware of your consciousness, and you can control what happens in your dream. About 55% of people have had at least one lucid dream in their lifetime. Benefits of Lucid Dreaming Scientists are increasingly establishing a link between dreaming and mental health. Could taking control of your dreams lead to a better life? The answer is yes, lucid dreaming can allow you to:  Overcome Nightmares One of the most practical benefits of lucid dreaming is the power to conquer nightmares. If you become lucid during a bad dream, you can remind yourself that the scary situation isn’t real and even change the story. For example, you might face down a monster and turn...

You’ve probably wished someone a good night and sweet dreams more times than you can count. But what exactly are sweet dreams? Are they just pleasant thoughts, or do they have a deeper meaning? Let’s explore the science behind sweet dreams and how they can influence your emotions, creativity, and even your waking life. Understanding Dreams Dreams are the imaginative experiences that our minds generate while we sleep. They’re thought to help the brain process information from the day. Dreams are most vivid during the REM stage of sleep, when your brain activity is almost as high as when you’re awake. While dreaming can also happen during other sleep stages, these dreams are less vivid and harder to remember. On average, you experience 4 to 6 dreams each night, although most slip away from memory quickly. Some people may have as many as 7 dreams in one night, with each...