Feeling like you had “a good night’s sleep” depends on more than just how long you slept. It also reflects how deeply and continuously you believe you slept. Scientists still do not fully understand what happens in the brain to create this sense of deep, refreshing rest.
A new study from researchers at the IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca, published in PLOS Biology, points to an unexpected factor. Dreams, especially those that are vivid and immersive, may actually make sleep feel deeper and more restorative rather than interrupting it.
Rethinking Deep Sleep and Brain Activity
For decades, deep sleep was viewed as a state where the brain is essentially “switched off,” with slow brain waves, minimal activity, and little awareness. Under this traditional view, deeper sleep meant less brain activity. In contrast,…