Do you often have nightmares? Many people think that dreaming and nightmares are just bad sleep, but if nightmares appear frequently, they may also be related to health problems. Scientists have been studying the relationship between dreams and health, trying to learn more about physical health from dreams.
At present, there is no scientific evidence that dreams can predict specific diseases. However, there is some evidence that many dreams and repeated dreams may indicate some health problems.
You may have nightmares when you are sick and have a fever. If you are the kind of person who ignores the signs of physical discomfort, maybe a strange nightmare can remind you that you are ill. According to the Mayo Medical Center in the United States, getting sick can make people have nightmares, especially when patients have fever symptoms. If you didn't notice the changes in your body before, you should pay attention the next morning after having a strange nightmare!
Some specific dreams show excessive stress, and when we ignore the burden borne by the body, these stressors may enter our dreams. DoctorOz.com's website reported that sometimes stress can turn into a common dream, such as missing a plane or an upcoming tsunami. At other times, a particularly strange dream may make you realize that it is time to relax.
Some people think that if the stress dream reveals what really bothers you and points out why you feel this way, then the dream itself may actually help you.
Blood sugar drops too fast, which may lead to nightmares. According to WebMD, a medical and health service website, diabetic patients may have nightmares if their blood sugar drops seriously. Taking too much insulin or some drugs can lead to hypoglycemia. Of course, most diabetics can find the early symptoms of hypoglycemia before the nightmare is warned. But hypoglycemia can occur during sleep.
Dreaming more may be a good thing for pregnant women. Many mothers have confirmed that they dream more during pregnancy. In these nine months, dreams seem to increase generally, but bizarre and realistic dreams may become particularly common. Although having more horrible dreams won't make people happy, mothers who have strange or disturbing dreams may actually be lucky: an Israeli study of 166 pregnant women found that the more painful their dreams are, the less likely they are to suffer from postpartum depression.
Some specific people should seek medical advice in time in the following situations. If stress and anxiety can lead to disturbing strange dreams, it is not surprising that more serious mental health problems can also interfere with your sleep. According to WebMD, bipolar disorder can cause some people to have realistic and bizarre dreams.
According to data from the US Department of Veterans Affairs, a study on Vietnam War veterans found that 52% of veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder often have nightmares, while only 3% of ordinary people have nightmares. If you find that you often have nightmares or very realistic dreams, you should consider telling your doctor about your sleep. Seeking treatment for these two conditions can improve your sleep quality.