What are Stress Dreams?

A good night’s sleep helps you feel refreshed and ready for the day. It’s like filling up your energy tank for tomorrow. Without enough sleep, you might feel drained and less able to handle what comes your way. According to Miserandino’s spoon theory, a good night’s sleep is like refuelling your spoons (energy) for the next day. When the stress from your wake life gets too much to handle, it might also seep into your sleep. That’s when stress dreams occur.

What are Stress dreams?

Stress dreams are vivid and anxiety-inducing dreams that often cause distress even after waking up. According to many scientists, these dreams occur during REM sleep, where memory consolidation and emotional regulation take place and also which is when most dreams happen.

Triggers of Stress Dreams

Stress dreams are triggered by real-life stressors that our brain continues to process even during sleep. When you wake up from a stressful dream, the anxiety or fear lingers, affecting you as if the stressful event had occurred in real. This differs from the physical symptoms nightmare brings, but similarly leaves a lingering sense of impending doom upon awakening.

The ongoing life stressors such as

Relationship problems
Work pressure
Financial crisis
Health conditions

can cause significant distress both when awake and during sleep. Therefore, it is crucial to unwind before bedtime. Engaging in relaxation techniques or practising breathing exercises can be effective in alleviating stress and enhancing sleep quality.

Common Stress dreams and what they mean?

Most common stress dreams include,

Falling from a great height
Being chased for life
Being super late to work yet you can’t just get there
Losing a teeth
Finding oneself in embarrassing situations or
Even dreams like you’re back in school and you’ve to attend an unprepared test.

The dreams can widely vary based on one’s personal experiences or concerns. Sleep psychologists and dream interpreters delve into the meaning behind the common dreams. For instance,

Dreams like being chased may stem from the person’s tendency to avoid facing challenges or problems directly. Instead of confronting the problem, they opted to flee away which might manifest into a stress dream of being chased.
Dreams about teeth often arise from insecurities about one’s appearance as teeth are the central point of attraction and affect how others perceive us. Therefore, these dreams often may reflect fears of rejection or concerns about ageing.
Falling dreams often signify a sense of losing control. Life can be overwhelming with numerous stressors, sometimes leading to feelings of losing control which might also manifest into a stress dream. They can indicate a need to regain control where possible and manage stress effectively.
Dreams about being late often indicate that you’re feeling overwhelmed by trying to handle too many tasks at once. They might indicate that you’re putting too much pressure on yourself or taking on too many commitments.

Ultimately, trying to decipher these dreams won’t get you anywhere, instead try to focus on your daily activities and find the root cause of your stress. Identifying the stressors and finding ways to alleviate them might help you. Taking action in this way will be more beneficial than dwelling on dream interpretations.

Stress dreams vs Nightmares

There is no clear difference between stress dreams and nightmares. However, one thing researchers suggest is that stress dreams typically evoke feelings of anxiety, worry, and frustration upon waking, rather than the intense fear and shock associated with nightmares.

Ways to Manage Stress Dreams

Some ways that might help manage stress dreams include,

Constructive Worry

Every night, write down your thoughts in a journal. In one column, list all your worries. In the next column, jot down small steps or ideas on how you can address each worry. This process can boost confidence by showing you have potential solutions to your problems, which can help you relax before bed.

Good Ambiance

Sleep hygiene is crucial to improve sleep quality. Create a calm atmosphere by maintaining a regular bedtime routine. Dim the lights and avoid screens at least an hour before bed. Consider taking a bath and changing into comfortable pyjamas. Scented candles can also contribute to a serene environment, with their aroma promoting better sleep.

Buffer Zone

Sleep psychologist Dan Ford advises creating a buffer zone before sleep. This involves taking a bath and dedicating 30 to 60 minutes to self-care activities such as meditation, yoga, breathing exercises, or journaling. These activities promote relaxation and positive feelings. Ford called the me-time that helps transition from a busy day to a restful sleep, the buffet zone. This ensures a refreshing start to the next day.

Talk it out

“You don’t know what you think until you try and say it out loud.”

This applies to stress as well. Ignoring it can make it worse. Try sharing your feelings with a loved one, or if that’s difficult, write them down. By verbalizing or journaling your stress, you can gain clarity and a better understanding of what you’re experiencing.

Destress

A good way of stress-busting is creating healthy habits. Creating these habits can effectively help you manage stress. Some healthy habits to destress include,

Exercise, meditation, breathing exercises
Talking to a loved one
Journaling
Spending time in nature
Engaging in hobbies or creative activities

Unhealthy habits might include,

Alcohol or drug use
Binge eating
Isolation
Engaging in risky activities
Excessive screen-time

It’s becomes increasingly important to distinguish between healthy and unhealthy habits, to manage stress effectively and prevent stress dreams.

Conclusion

Occasional stress dreams aren’t that bad it just helps us to recognize what our body is subconsciously worried about. It’s an indicator that reminds us to address stress to maintain balance. However recurrent stress dreams may signify serious concerns, which should be discussed with a professional. It’s important to identify and address these stressors to ensure overall well-being. Always remember to be realistic when you set goals, start small but think long term.

References +

Calm Editorial Team. (2024, February 9). Stress dreams: What they are, causes, and how to stop them — Calm Blog. Calm Blog. https://www.calm.com/blog/stress-dreams#:~:text=Stress%20dreams%20are%20typically%20triggered,often%20resulting%20in%20stress%20dreams
Matejko, S. (2022, March 25). Understanding the cause of stress dreams. Psych Central. https://psychcentral.com/stress/stress-dream#prevention
Nutralogicx. (2024, January 4). The Importance of REM Sleep and its Relation to Stress. Anglo-French drugs and industries Ltd. https://www.afdil.com/blog/the-importance-of-rem-sleep-and-its-relation-to-stress/
O’Regan, V. (2024, February 9). How to manage your stress dreams. The Hub | High Speed Training. https://www.highspeedtraining.co.uk/hub/stress-dreams/