Thread: Having the light on while you sleep = Less dreams?

So basically the past few nights i have slept with my light on due to paranormal occurrences that regularly happen in my room. All night i don't dream. About 8am my Mum come's in my room and turn's my light off, immediately after that i start to have like 3 or 4 dreams before i wake up!

So does the light stop you from having dreams? it seem's to with me.

Thank you.

It doesn't stop you from having dreams, everyone has dreams in every single REM cycle. It is possible that it reduces recall though. After all, a part of your brain may be focussing on the light which is yet another external stimuli

Originally Posted by Spyguy

It doesn't stop you from having dreams, everyone has dreams in every single REM cycle. It is possible that it reduces recall though. After all, a part of your brain may be focussing on the light which is yet another external stimuli

Hm thanks for the reply, that may be what's happening, i thought it may be keeping me in a more awake state? but i suppose it's not then .

I don't think it affects the number of dreams you have, but when you have lucid dreams with a lot of light in the room, it's a lot brighter and clearer in the dream (at least for me).

We tend to remember most dreams in the morning, so it may just be a coincidence with the light. That's my two cents.

If it makes you more awake then that would make you more likely to remember them!

As everyone else said, you still will have the dreams, it sounds like with lights on you expect stuff to go away though, maybe dreams got somehow listed on that to-go stuff and thats why you forget?
Also, for some reason my dreams are harder to stabilize when there is light on the room.

I sleep with night light on every night and it has no effect on number of dreams I have/remember. Last night I had a bigger light on and was trying to WILD, but I noticed when the images started behind my closed eyelids, I couldn't really see them because it was too bright. That's the only downfall I can see from having light in the room.

Well, I know personally, for someone who falls asleep regularly with a light on, I find no different affect on myself. If anything, it's become harder for me to have dreams without a light on. I'm guessing it just depends on what your body is more adapted to.

Perhaps it's because when you wake up, you're distracted by the light and forget about your dreams?

Doesn't light affect your seratonin/melatonin levels.. (one of the two), i've heard quite a few people saying you need ZERO light in your room for optimum sleep.

A candle or small light left on during the night keeps a bit of wakefulness in the mind. It feels different to sleep with a light on, and the difference can be used to help maintain awareness. If a candle is used, be sure to take precautions against fire.

The Tibetan Yogas of Dream and Sleep by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche

The awareness this quote refers to is the "present and critical" state of mind that is always questioning if the world is a dream.

Originally Posted by discoriver

The Tibetan Yogas of Dream and Sleep by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche

The awareness this quote refers to is the "present and critical" state of mind that is always questioning if the world is a dream.

Excellent book, i'm reading through that right now.

Originally Posted by discoriver

The Tibetan Yogas of Dream and Sleep by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche

The awareness this quote refers to is the "present and critical" state of mind that is always questioning if the world is a dream.

Interesting, I just got this book but havnt read it yet.. Might give it a try just to see what happens..