Mental Health

Dreams and nightmares. How do they affect our mental health?

3 Mins read

Dreams often seem completely random, and sometimes they are. We may usually pass our dreams off as complete nonsense, but we undergo the same biophysical process when we are sleeping as we do when we are awake. In other words, dreams affect our mental and physical health the same way as our waking experiences do. And, likewise, dreams can reveal some truths about our physical health and our mental health. Nightmares could indicate that you are sick, for example. Vivid dreaming may be a sign of sleep deprivation, pregnancy, or low blood sugar.

The intensity and frequency of disturbing dreams could show a progression and resolution over time, whereas chronic nightmares tend to be persistent, repetitive, and associated with lower psychological well-being, as well as histories of abuse or trauma.

In fact, disturbing nightmares, as well as other characteristics of disturbed dreaming, such as changes in emotional intensity, or unusual character interactions, have been linked to mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, personality disorder, and depression.

If you have already been diagnosed with a condition, then dreams can give you more accurate information. For example, bipolar patients’ dreams can indicate an oncoming alteration between manic and depressive states. This often happens when bipolar patients reported shifts from experiencing neutral or negative dreams towards more unrealistic and bizarre dreams.

Ten most common nightmares and what they mean

Every night during sleep, each of us creates around five dream episodes. These dreams can last for between 15-40 minutes, so we all spend around 2 hours dreaming every night.

All these dreams mirror fundamental patterns of human behaviour. Some believe these dream patterns reflect who we really are, what we need and what we believe.

Examples of dreams and what they may mean

  1. Teeth falling out. Dreams about your teeth can reflect your anxieties about your appearance and how others perceive you. Such dreams may stem from a fear of rejection, embarrassment or feeling unattractive. As our teeth are used to bite, chew and tear, dreams about losing your teeth can stem from a sense of powerlessness. This means you could be experiencing self-confidence issues.
  2. Being chased. Being chases suggests that you are running away from something that is causing you fear or anxiety in your waking life. It indicates that you tend to run away or avoid issues. The chaser can also represent an aspect of yourself, e.g., your own feelings of anger, jealousy or fear can manifest itself as the threatening figure.
  3. Unable to find a toilet. Having trouble finding a toilet means you may be finding it difficult to express your needs in a certain situation. It can represent feelings of your personal needs not being met by always putting others first. You may feel that you are lacking time for personal issues and need more privacy, self-care, or self-expression.
  4. Flying. A tough time flying in your dreams suggests that someone (or something) is stopping you from moving to the next step in your life. Being afraid to fly proposes that you might be having trouble keeping up with the ambitious goals you set for yourself. If you were alone and struggling to fly, it implies that you are lacking confidence within yourself.
  5. Unprepared for an exam. Exam dreams can be so real that we wake up convinced we just failed an important test. At least 1 in every 5 people will experience an exam dream in their lives. Exam dreams reflect your lack of confidence and inability to advance to the next stage in life.

Conclusion

It is important to remember that having vivid or scary dreams does not definitely indicate that something is wrong with your mental health, but it is still an innovative idea to pay close attention to your dreams. Tracking your dreams over a period of time can help you discover larger shifts, changes, and resolutions in your life. If you find yourself experiencing nightmares or extremely vivid dreams frequently, you should consider discussing your sleep with your doctor or your mental healthcare provider. Whilst your dreams may or may not point to an underlying physical or mental health problem, the fact is that if your dreams are interrupting your sleep, then it is a good idea seek help. In some cases, nightmares may represent a primary sleep disorder rather than be a symptom of an underlying psychological condition.

Your dreams may not be a sign of a bigger problem you should seek help regardless, as frequently disrupted sleep can negatively impact your mental health. Recurrent nightmares need to be addressed, simply for your own sake.

Dreams can be tiring and interrupt your sleep. If this is the case, it is a clever idea to get help so that you can sleep more peacefully.

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