![]() ![]() Michael Breus Ph.D., a sleep expert, tells Bustle that they can also influence dream content. Selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIS) are commonly prescribed to people with depressive symptoms, but Dr. The influence of depression on dreams is also influenced by anti-depressants. A study on firefighters published in Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine in 2016 found that nightmares and disturbed sleep might increase depression because they can affect our waking ability to regulate our feelings and solve emotional problems. ![]() Studies of the brains of people with depression have shown that the dark dreams accompanying depression may be the brain's attempt to work through negative feelings and triggers from their daytime experience. However, scientists are still figuring out how the link between depression and dreaming works. Rosalind Cartwright, Ph.D., an expert on dreaming and depression, found that people experiencing painful divorces tended to have bad dreams featuring their ex-spouses in punishing or negative roles, while those who were coping better with divorce tended to dream of their exes in more distant, unemotional ways. ![]() Nils Sandman) found that people with depression, insomnia or exhaustion were the most likely to experience nightmares. A study of nightmares in the Finnish population published in Sleep in 2015 (and led by the appropriately named Dr. If you have depression, you're more likely to have bad dreams, and having nightmares are also a strong predictor of depressive symptoms. The connection between depression and nightmares appears to be complex. ![]() For people with depression, however, that healing element is absent - and studies have shown that there's a relationship between depression and bad dreams. Research has revealed that for many people, rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, the period in which we dream, has mood-regulating effects people often feel better the morning after a traumatic or upsetting event if we've had sufficient REM sleep to process it. It has such far-reaching effects that depression can even have an impact on our dreaming. If your bad dreams continue it's worth getting checked out by a GP to find out what's causing them in your case and how they might be prevented.If you've ever gone through depression you know it can affect many different parts of our bodies, from our energy levels to how well our brains function. In rarer situations, the causes of nightmares may be due to obstructive sleep apnoea, migraines or restless legs syndrome. If you think this may apply to you, your GP may be able to suggest alternative medicines that don't cause this side-effect. Medications such as sleeping pills and certain antidepressants can also be a contributing factor to nightmares. Our article on self-care is another useful resource to help you switch off and enjoy valuable downtime.Ĭaffeine and alcohol can also sometimes cause nightmares, so consider cutting down your intake if applicable. There is no doubt that a period of stress will increase the chances of nightmares. Life events such as bereavement, personal illness, relationship problems or work pressures, to name but a few, are all likely to have an impact on your dreams so it's important to identify the stressors in your life and make changes where possible to reduce your anxiety levels.ĪXA Health's mental health hub has lots of information, tips and techniques you can try to help you de-stress. They are usually linked to what's going on in your life at the time and reflect your current emotional state of mind. Bad dreams or nightmares occur in the REM (rapid eye movement) part of sleep. ![]()
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