What Are NREM And REM Dreams?

Non rapid eye movement also known as NREM and rapid eye movement or REM play important roles in our dreaming process.

Whether good or bad, dreams are usually remembered from our REM sleep periods.

REM dreams tend to occur “almost continuously during each REM period and have a story-like quality; typically more vivid, visual, and emotional than NREM dreams” (Wood, Wood, & Boyd 115).

I’ve noticed that the majority of my dreams consist of images that I have recently seen. And some REM dreams seem so real, it can be scary at times.

In contrast, weaker dream-images would be the product of a NREM dream. And a stronger dream-image is the product of a REM dream.

I can remember dreaming I was about to jump or fall in one dream, it seemed so real to the point that my leg jerked and jolted me out of my sleep.

On the other hand, concerning lucid dreams, I would assume that lucid dreaming could also be labeled as daydreaming.

Since a lucid dream is one that "an individual is aware of dreaming and whose content the individual is often able to influence while the dream is in progress" (Wood, Wood, & Boyd 116).

Overall, dreams are certainly interesting occurrences.

• Wood, S., Wood, E., Boyd, D. (2002). Mastering the World of Psychology. New Jersey: Pearson.