Healthytalk8 Is there any Relation Between Dreams and Health?
Contents
Yes, of course, Dreams and health both are connected in many ways with our physical and mental health for example:
If you are under stress or anxious, it also affects your health and dreams by losing weight, less motivation, and by given nightmares.
Here are some ways where dreams are more related to health include:
- Sleep Quality
- mental and physical health
- pain
- mood
Nightmares are scary, and disturbing, dreams that wake you and are allied with mental illnesses like anxiety and depression.
Dreams not only lead to bad nightmares, but they also have some benefits:
- Help in organizing your memory
- emotional process
- may help in stress relief
- more motivated
A study reveals that in an experiment those who reported experiencing more vivid dreams are cognitive function and memory.
Is Frequent Bad Dreams Affect Health Negatively?
Yes, frequent bad dreams and nightmares affect health negatively, but why do I dream bad dreams or nightmares?
India and many other religions believe that bad dreams are means that someone is not happy with you like paternal blame and someone’s evil eye on you.
And it’s believed that doing pooja at home eliminates pitra dosh or bad powers which even eliminate bad dreams.
On the other hand, research and evidence-based study tell us that there is no hard evidence of why people have bad dreams.
But it is seen that some life-related things may contribute to it including:
- Trauma is like someone’s death
- stress
- mental health condition
- lack of sleep
- medications
- dreams disorder like a nightmare
- excessive alcohol and other substance abuse
If you frequently see bad dreams about someone’s death, nakedness, or ghost, then you should consult a psychiatrist.
Why am I Dreaming Every Night?
My ancestors and many religious seniors tells that dreaming every night is not good for health whether it is good or bad (2)
Dreams are starting visualizing during rapid eye movement (a stage of sleep where brain activity and eye movements are increased)
But why I dream every night there is no evidence in this, but some reasons may be your reasons include:
- Trauma
- poor sleep hygiene
- stress, anxiety, and depression
- medicine side effects
- drugs use
What Causes Nightmares? (Difference b/w Bad Dreams and Nightmare )
As we told you no specific reason is found for it, but some other factors play a vital role in a nightmare like:
- a poor mental health
- any trauma
- pain
Nightmares are unsettling and disturbing dreams which become your reason for awakening but bad dreams do not awaken you (3)
Both are allied with anxiety and depression, but dreams are not lead to physical damage, but a nightmare may cause mental illness and suicide.
What to do if I have nightmares? you consult your doctor they may suggest you a psychiatrist (mental specialist)
Do Dreams Come True if We Remember Them?
No there is no specific evidence or data available that dreams come true if we remember them, but some believe that morning dreams are true.
There is no prediction that the dream come true (5) for example:
If your dream comes true the next day (but a dream and a real incident will way varied from each other in terms of people, environment, and the way of happens), it may be a coincidence.
Dreams are not real, but dreams are a reflection of the reality which our brain makes during sleep from what we saw our whole day.
What are Some Common Dream Themes?
Dreams themes mean – where you do something like driving or flying in your dream, but which is not a reality (4)
Here are some common dream themes include:
- Flying or falling from the sky
- being chased
- s** with someone and leads to nightfall
- being late
- death
- being naked in public
But a common dream theme you also seen is that you actually urge to urinate in reality during sleep, which it also feels in the dream (5)
These are certain common DT, which can vary among individuals, due to individual personal lifestyles and beliefs.
Are Dreams a Sign of Brain Disorder?
No, dreams are not a sign of brain disorder, however, some types of dreams can be signs of medical conditions such as:
- REM (repaid eye movement)
- sleep behaviour disorder
- post-trauma stress disorders also lead to frequent nightmares
- vivid dreams can be a sign of schizophrenia
- disturbing dreams can be a sign of depression
In addition, several studies reveal that sleep disorders and depression are significantly linked to each other strongly.
So it becomes important to talk to professional psychiatrist if you experience varied, disturbing, and other nonsense dreams.
Can Dreams Affect Mood and Sleep?
Dreaming is a normal part of sleep, good sleep means – normal cognitive function and emotionally healthy (5).
Yes, bad dreams at night can disturb sleep, which causes a lack of sleep, and sleep deprivation affect your mood.
Frequent nightmares make it harder to fall asleep, which makes it difficult to get a good night’s sleep, which can cause:
- difficulty in focus
- mood changes
- increased stress level
- daytime fatigue
- dizziness
- increased the risk of accident
Several studies have shown that lack of sleep in the long term leads to several health issues like obesity, high BP, cardiovascular disease, etc
It is believed that an average adult should sleep for 7 to 8 hours so that they are charged for the next day.
What are Some Tips for Improving Dreams?
There are various tips for improving or managing dreams, here are a few things that you can do to manage dreams are:
- Make sure to practice good hygiene like taking a warm bath before bed, avoiding screen time, etc
- avoid excessive alcohol, and other drugs use
- For better sleep – the bedroom should be cool and quiet which will ensure better sleep
- try to get enough sleep, if bad dreams awake you, so try to sleep again after some time.
- make sure to sleep at the same time every day
- avoid caffeine, and alcohol at least 2 hours before bedtime because they interact with sleep rhythm.
- practice relaxation techniques like – deep breathing, yoga, and meditation
- if you experience bad dreams, then make a journal, and then work on it, and understand its meaning.
- make an everyday habit of thinking about your dreams before do to sleep.
If poor sleep patterns and sleep-related issues like insomnia, etc are your reasons, then the doctor also suggests you practice good sleep.
Insomnia is a most common sleep disorder and mostly affects women, where the person is hard to fall asleep.
Frequent bad dreams, or just dreams which are affecting your daily activity, then you should consult a mental doctor.
When to see a Doctor to Help with my Dreams?
- If your dreams frequently affect your daily activity then you should consult a mental professional.
- frequent nightmares or bad dreams
- if you awake several times with sweaty, and anxious.
- waking the same time every time at midnight
- if your dreams are related to some event or trauma which you already experienced.
Not only these, but if you experience any discomfort, pain, headache, or other health issues, then consult your doctor.
Psychiatrists also suggest a dream journal, which helps you to understand your dreams, like why they trigger frequently.
Down Line
Dreams and health both are connected to each other, like bad dreams disturb your sleep at night, which will also health.
It is a normal part of sleep, but if you experience frequent nightmares, that interact with your daily lifestyle, it is vital to seek help.
Make sure to practice good hygiene for better sleep quality, and if you experience frequent dreams issues, then consult a psychiatrist.
