If you've been having particularly vivid dreams and wondering why, we have the answer – and it's all down to the onset of autumn.
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"The changing seasons can affect the way we sleep in a huge way, causing us to experience increased disturbances at night as well as vivid dreams and in some cases, nightmares," says sleep expert Martin Seeley, CEO of MattressNextDay.
Vivid dreams are common in autumn
Why am I having vivid dreams?
1. A lack of vitamin D
"During the winter months, your sleep is directly affected because your vitamin D levels are reduced as a result of shorter days and lack of sunlight," explains Martin.
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"Vitamin D is imperative for serotonin production, which is vital for maintaining that important sleep-wake cycle and keeping our levels of melatonin production in check.
"Furthermore, this lack of vitamin D can also trigger Seasonal Affective Disorder, which has been found to be a main reason for sleep disturbances, vivid dreams and nightmares."
Which brings us onto…
2. Seasonal Affective Disorder
More than simply making your feel lethargic, SAD has a huge impact on your quality of sleep during the winter months, according to Martin.
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"If you suffer with SAD, you may find that you are experiencing increased vivid dreams and nightmares during the winter months. Research has shown that nightmares are a common issue among those who suffer from SAD and symptoms of depression, so during the colder, darker months when SAD is triggered, you may dream more often."
3. Your central heating
The temperature of your bedroom can also impact your sleep, says Martin.
"Studies have found that when the temperatures are too high, the body is put under increased stress - you may find that this means your dreams become more vivid because your body is overheating.
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"This may occur during the winter months to those who are putting their heating on more often than they should. As a rule of thumb, sleeping in a room too hot is hugely detrimental to your overall health. However, if your room is too cold this may also lead to a disturbed night's sleep due to feeling uncomfortable and waking often."
Vivid dreams can be caused by a number of things
What to do about vivid dreams
Unless your vivid dreams are creeping into nightmare territory, you don't necessarily need to do anything about your vivid dreams.
Vitamin D supplements are always a good idea, because our levels are low in the UK thanks to our paltry sun, and SAD lamps could help too.
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