Sometimes -mostly when we are tired- we see nightmares, and they can affect our day in a bad manner. Nightmares may change due to your day and your fears. Sometimes, they can even be so creative, like a fish running to you with an ax, but they all mean something. Let’s dig into nightmares more and learn some details that can brighten us. 

Nightmares can even be caused by war; half of the Vietnam veterans still see nightmares about their trauma. But if you didn’t go through a war -like most of the people- they have some more usual reasons.

Another interesting reason that most people don’t think about is eating heavy meals before sleeping. Depending on what you eat, late-night snacking could be the culprit behind your spine-chilling dreams. Eating a heavy meal right before bed can cause your brain to become more active, which results in restless sleep and increases your chances of having nightmares.

Clinician Jacky Casumbal states, “Dreams are our brain’s way of organizing events of the day, memories, and images into vivid, symbolic, and nonsensical storylines.” Nightmares, in particular, are ‘dreams that are often connected to unresolved anxiety and trauma that our brain has not fully worked through.’ Past traumas and our stress resources cause nightmares, too. You may think that all these weird and unrelated things you saw aren’t connected to one topic, but dreams we see usually come up with metaphors; if you dig into your nightmares more and try to interpret them, maybe you can find some clues. I will drop some usual stress-caused nightmares reasons there.

• Being chased or threatened: This reflects feelings of vulnerability, lack of control, or anxiety about potential dangers.
• Falling or losing balance: Symbolizes instability, insecurity, or fear of failure.
• Being trapped or paralyzed: Represents feelings of powerlessness, suffocation, or inability to act.
• Natural disasters or apocalyptic scenarios: Expresses anxieties about larger societal issues or loss of control.
• Loss of loved ones or teeth: Signifies fear of separation, abandonment, or inadequacy.

If you see nightmares usually and they affect your daily routine, please don’t be ashamed to take some help!

Written by Esma Edited by İklim