Vivid Dreams

[sailboatscot]

Didn’t know where to post this so tried here. I’ve been talking to several mariners - fishermen, ex-navy, recreational sailors and all say they have extremely vivid dreams at sea. I’ve experienced this myself whenever I’m sleeping at sea of even tied up on an extended trip. I can find no explanation or discussion around it. I’m intrigued if my sample is just weird or if others have experienced this.

[Leo Ticheli]

As this seems like an invitation for wild speculation, I'll jump in. Most dreams occur during REM sleep, not deep sleep; since when we're at sea we're attuned to wake up or be awakened at irregular times and we're constantly mentally engaged on keeping the boat in one piece and above the water, it could very well be that we have more frequent and longer periods of REM sleep.

I suppose this hypothesis could be tested by observation of subjects pattern of REM sleep both onshore and at sea, or it could be I have no clue what I'm talking about. It is fun to think about, however.

Fair winds and pleasant dreams,
Leo

[Paul L]

Doubt if you have more dreams at sea. You might remember many more because you are awoken so many more times while in mid-dream during your light sleep.

[JPA Cate]

Jim used to have very vivid dreams when he used the ear patches, and would talk out loud in his sleep. He normally sleeps very quietly, no talking whatsoever.

I find that when the motion is vigorous, I'll create wild dreams that take into account the motion, like dreaming you're skiing a hard mogul field, or driving on a curvy mountain road with lots of ups and downs, but when the motion is smooth and easy, so are the dreams.

Ann

[AndyEss]

My knees won't take a tough mogul field anymore.
I heard the results of some sleep research several years ago. Rocking the bed made for far better sleep quality.
I've been living on my boat for the last year and a half. I sleep far better - and remember dreams better. I had to come back to the US several weeks ago - and I have been sleeping like s$&t since I've been on land. Only three more weeks of this misery before I can go home.
I bet it's gentle to moderate rocking.

[john61ct]

Yes I think the more fruequent / shallower cycling up and down, and higher subconscious stress levels causes us to be more aware of the normal vividness / intensity.

[billknny]

Originally Posted by sailboatscot

Didn’t know where to post this so tried here. I’ve been talking to several mariners - fishermen, ex-navy, recreational sailors and all say they have extremely vivid dreams at sea. I’ve experienced this myself whenever I’m sleeping at sea of even tied up on an extended trip. I can find no explanation or discussion around it. I’m intrigued if my sample is just weird or if others have experienced this.

Either your sample is weird, or they are pulling your leg, or they are making up stories, or I am weird because I have no "vivid dreams at sea."

Of course, it might be all of the above too...

Most likely it is just a simple self-fulfilling prophecy. You hear the strange stories, and remember that odd dream that you would have ignored and forgotten under "normal" conditions.

[StuM]

After a couple days of short sleeps on passage, I too tend to wake up more often remembering dreams.

[GordMay]

Not quite on topic, but interesting.


"The effect of sleep position on dream experiences" ~ by Yu, Calvin Kai-Ching
People who sleep on their fronts are way more likely to have erotic dreams compared to those who go to sleep in other positions. According to a study, people who sleep on their tummy tend to get short of breath at night, and because of that, they often get dreams of wild sex. The people who sleep in such a position often experience racier dreams, like those involving being “tied up” or “locked up.” Another interesting fact to note is that most people who have experienced such dreams report that they also often involve a really famous personality.
https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2012-19542-001

"An association between geomagnetic activity and dream bizarreness" ~ by Darren M.Lipnicki
It's possible that the Earth’s magnetic field has a profound effect on dreams in people. Psychologist Darren Lipnicki has been recording his dreams for over eight years and concluded that low geomagnetic activity caused weirder dreams, but when the geomagnetic activity was high, the dreams got more normal and sensible. His findings are strictly anecdotal but have provided the impetus for further controlled studies.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/scienc...06987709001388

[sailboatscot]

Thanks for all the interesting responses. I personally think I sleep quite well on a boat but dreams are far more lucid/vivid. The idea that due to spending more time partially aware (or having the boat on your mind) and not getting to deep sleep so often or for so so long could hold some water.

[wolfgal]

when i first spent a couple of months sleeping in a forward cabin (in my twenties), i had the most lucid dreams! they were fantastic! (yes, i was alone in there. and no, i didn't have anyone in particular to dream about) The dreams usually involved much travel and far-away adventures, almost always places i had never seen. perhaps this was because i had travelled quite a bit back then (couldn't stop, really and didn't want to). in any case, it was great

since then, when the wind is calm and the boat rocks gently, the sleep and sleep's dreams are better quality than on land

[wolfgal]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

Jim used to have very vivid dreams when he used the ear patches, and would talk out loud in his sleep. He normally sleeps very quietly, no talking whatsoever.

I find that when the motion is vigorous, I'll create wild dreams that take into account the motion, like dreaming you're skiing a hard mogul field, or driving on a curvy mountain road with lots of ups and downs, but when the motion is smooth and easy, so are the dreams.

Ann

Ann,

what are ear patches? is there a relationship to sleep-talking?

i'm a sleep-talker too and used to sleep-walk (back before it scared me death to find myself outside in the middle of the night!).

[Montanan]

I used to have drug induced vivid dreams and they drove my spouse crazy. I changed to a different heart medicine and they stopped almost instantly. Lipophilic beta-blockers can cross the blood-brain barrier, whereas hydrophilic beta-blockers cannot.

My new prescription glasses have blue light filtering coating and they have greatly reduced the eye strain of using computer screens, smart phones, television, etc. and have improved my sleeping tremendously.

[Palarran]

It's a great subject and one that I haven't seen on this forum before. I just returned home after 10 weeks on Palarran and slept like a rock in my bed. Why I think it's a great subject though is that during the 10 weeks, not just me, but many of my guests would comment about our vivid/wild dreams on board. It really must be that we spend more time in the REM zone and especially during the hour prior to waking.

It's funny that within an hour of waking up though you typically can't remember a thing about the dream, maybe the general outline, but not the details.

[JPA Cate]

what are ear patches? is there a relationship to sleep-talking?

Some people used ear patches to deliver scopalamine to prevent seasickness. It was developed to relieve motion sickness for the early astronauts and made its way onto the market for sailors. It can have the side effect of hallucinations, and so my doc recommended I try one, ashore, where I didn't have to depend on them. Another side effect for is dry mouth.

I am among the people who get seasick, and tried a lot of over the counter approaches, and wrist bands, and some prescription meds, but what works for me is Stugeron, which is over the counter in England. It is what Jim and I both use.

Ann