Why You Have Restless Dreams and Wake Up Feeling Sluggish

Re-examining the wisdom of the Donguibogam (Principles and Practice of Eastern Medicine) through the lens of modern science reveals that the phenomenon of restless dreams and waking up unrefreshed is deeply connected to the complex interactions of the brain, hormones, and nervous system. Nightmares are known to occur primarily during the REM sleep stage (Rapid Eye Movement sleep). REM sleep is a crucial time when we process experienced information and emotion, and consolidate memory. However, if intense emotional pressure such as excessive stress, concern, or trauma is severe, the pattern of REM sleep itself becomes unstable, which can lead to intense and unpleasant dreams, or nightmares. When our body is in a stress situation, it secretes stress hormones like cortisol or adrenaline (epinephrine). These hormones induce the 'fight-or-flight' response and make the body enter a state of arousal. If stress is not resolved before falling asleep, and cortisol levels remain high, sleep-inducing hormone melatonin production is disrupted, and sleep quality generally declines. Melatonin is a key hormone that regulates the sleep-wake cycle, but stress disrupts this melatonin secretion rhythm, making it difficult to fall into deep sleep. Furthermore, an imbalance of neurotransmitters can also be an important cause of nightmares and sleep disorders. Serotonin, known as the happiness hormone, is also a precursor to melatonin. If serotonin levels are low, sleep quality decreases, and concern or depressive moods intensify, increasing the likelihood of inducing nightmares. A neurotransmitter called GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) plays a role in inhibiting and stabilizing brain activity. If GABA is insufficient, the brain becomes overly excited, making it difficult to fall asleep and leading to shallow sleep. The autonomic nervous system also has a significant impact. Our body has the sympathetic nerve, which increases heart rate and uses energy, and the parasympathetic nerve, which relaxes the body and conserves energy. Before falling asleep, the parasympathetic nerve must be activated for comfortable sleep. However, if the sympathetic nerve remains overactive late into the night due to late-night work, smartphone use, psychological pressure, etc., our body perceives this as a 'danger' state, making it unable to sleep comfortably, and ultimately leading to unstable sleep and nightmares. Recent studies also report that the 'gut-brain axis' affects sleep. Since gut microbiota are involved in the production of various neurotransmitters, including serotonin, poor gut health can negatively impact sleep quality. Thus, modern science clearly shows that our nightmares are not merely a mental event, but a signal from our body, holistically connected to the brain, hormones, nervous system, and even gut health. The instability of 'Hun' and 'Shen' as described by the Donguibogam (Principles and Practice of Eastern Medicine) is, in modern science, explained as a complex physiological imbalance.