Do you ever have nightmares? Have you ever woken up from a nightmare in such terror that your heart was racing, your body was covered in sweat, and your breath was short? If so, then you know how scary and upsetting nightmares can be. These moments when we experience a nightmare are not uncommon. It’s completely natural to have nightmares once in a while, especially at a time when we’re going through some difficult challenges in our lives. There are many reasons why we might have a nightmare; stress, anxiety, fear, or even just being overly-excited about something. But no matter what the cause is… Nightmares can be extremely unsettling.

Even though they’re perfectly normal, it’s still important to understand why we’re having them and how to deal with them if they happen again.

What are nightmares?

A nightmare is a dream that is very frightening, intense, and realistic. While we all have dreams, not everyone will experience nightmares. There are very few studies that have looked into the percentage of people who have nightmares, but most sources suggest that about 50% of people will experience a nightmare at some point in their lives. Nightmares occur more frequently in people who have anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, sleep disorders, or are under significant levels of stress. Nightmares can be caused by various factors, including stress, anxiety, genetics, and our ability to fall and stay asleep. A common nightmare is one where you’re being chased, threatened or attacked. You may feel like you’re unable to move or speak, like you’re frozen with fear. You may sweat, feel your heart racing, or even hyperventilate when you have a dream about someone standing at your door . When you wake up, you feel scared, anxious and may even feel like you’re still in the dream. Sometimes, you may remember the dream, while other times it’s like a blur. But you definitely feel the negative emotions from fear, anxiety, or panic.

Why do we have Nightmares?

While nightmares are common, sometimes it can be hard to understand why you’re having them. In order to understand why you’re having nightmares, you need to look at what else might be going on in your life. There are a number of things that may be triggering your nightmares, such as stress, anxiety, genetics, or sleep deprivation. Stress is a big contributor to nightmares. If you’re feeling an increase in stress in your life, you may be more prone to nightmares. It could be something like an exam or interview coming up, a break-up, a family crisis, or a financial problem. Although most nightmares are not caused by a specific event, some are triggered by a bad experience around the time when the nightmares began. This can be anything like seeing a car accident, getting fired, getting robbed, or any other shocking or traumatic experience.

How to Stop Nightmares From Coming Back

If nightmares are a regular issue for you, there are a few things you can do to stop them from coming back. Nightmares might be triggered by stress, anxiety, genetics, or a sleep disorder, so you can work on calming these areas in your life. Below are some tips to help you stop nightmares from coming back: Nightmares can be triggered by stress, anxiety, genetics, or a sleep disorder, so you can work on calming these areas in your life. Here are some tips to help you stop nightmares or dream about skydiving from coming back. Natural Remedies - There are many natural remedies that can help you ease anxiety and stress in your life. You can try yoga, meditation, mindfulness, or guided imagery, to name just a few. Rest - It’s important to get enough sleep, as sleep disorders can cause nightmares. Exercise - Exercise has been shown to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, which can all be contributing factors for nightmares. Nutrition - Certain vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients have been linked to helping people who suffer from nightmares. Therapy - Nightmares can have many different causes and can last for months or years. If you’re finding it hard to stop nightmares from coming back, consider therapy to help you work through the underlying causes.

Bottom line

When we experience nightmares, it can be scary and unsettling. Nightmares can be caused by stress, anxiety, genetics, or a sleep disorder, and can be treated with therapy, or by following a good sleep routine. If you ever experience nightmares, there are steps you can take to reduce and prevent them.