Nightmares which feel real

We'll explore these and other questions about dreaming while blind. This type of dream of…. Dreams about teeth falling out are very common, and while dream interpretations are highly subjective, it could mean that you are feeling extra…. These are common scenarios in dreams triggered…. Recurring nightmares mean that you have frequent nightmares that are either exactly the same content, or unfold with similar themes.

They can be…. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Mental Health. Medically reviewed by Timothy J. Legg, Ph. Summary While scientists have been studying dreams for years, the images that appear while we snooze are still incredibly misunderstood. What causes nightmares? What causes night terrors? Lucid dreams. Other types of dreams. Common themes in dreams. Who is more likely to dream? Read this next. Why Do We Dream?

Medically reviewed by Debra Sullivan, Ph. Medically reviewed by Alana Biggers, M. Medically reviewed by Janet Brito, Ph. Nadorff explains. Another cause of repeated nightmares is post-traumatic stress disorder PTSD , an anxiety disorder that you can develop after witnessing or experiencing trauma. The Cleveland Clinic reports that around 7 to 8 percent of people in the United States will have PTSD at some point in their lives, and common symptoms include flashbacks, intrusive memories of the event, feeling jittery and on-edge, and having nightmares about the trauma.

Krakow recently published a paper in the International Journal of Adolescent Medicine and Health that explored the potential connection between nightmares, sleep-related breathing problems like sleep apnea , and insomnia. The idea is that these three issues are more likely to appear as a cluster than many people realize, he explains.

Krakow says. One idea is that drops in oxygen caused by sleep apnea—a disorder that stops and restarts your breathing during sleep—may make people feel like they are choking. This can cause a fear response that triggers bad dreams, he explains. Another notion is that, since sleep apnea can wake you up often during the night which is a form of insomnia , it can jolt you out of REM sleep abruptly. Certain drugs classes are known to induce nightmares in some people, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Take antidepressants, for example. Much like anxiety and stress, depression might influence your dreams , taking them into a more emotionally negative territory. And, depending on the type of drug you choose, it can feel like antidepressants intensify this effect. A review of literature in Sleep Medicine Reviews looked at 21 studies and 25 case reports, finding that people taking antidepressants were more likely to remember their dreams.

Either way, keep in mind that there are many antidepressants out there , and side effects can vary in different people.

You could also be a good candidate for antidepressants or anti-anxiety drugs. If stress is your issue, your physician can talk you through some stress management options like meditation or any recommended lifestyle changes.

In the event that your nightmares could be linked to sleep apnea and related insomnia, addressing that will likely be your first step.

To diagnose sleep apnea, a doctor would speak to you about any symptoms like excessive daytime sleepiness, snoring, waking up choking or gasping, or waking up with a dry mouth or headache, according to the Mayo Clinic.

They may have you undergo a sleep study, where you go to sleep in a lab while connected to various machines measuring your brain activity, breathing, and oxygen levels.

Treatments for sleep apnea include wearing a positive airway pressure machine while you sleep, wearing a mouthpiece that helps keep your throat open, or in some cases having surgery to remove excess tissue from your airways. So they wake up and may have a little bit of anxiety. Nightmares belong to a category of sleep disorders called parasomnias, or unwanted experiences that occur during sleep. And a lot of times people are afraid to go to sleep because of the nightmare. And when that happens, you can have a lot of issues with insomnia and sleepiness, because you are not getting enough sleep.

But if they do become a recurrent problem, Dr. Szumstein says the main treatment is cognitive behavioral therapy. But this only occurs when nightmares affect sleep in a chronic and severe manner. To learn more about treatment for sleep disorders, visit Piedmont Sleep Services.

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