What Is Dreaming?

Dreams can have imagery that is positive, negative, or outright confusing, likely reflecting a period of immense imagination during sleep³ . Nevertheless, whether in good or bad dreams, experiences from w...

Dreaming is a normal part of healthy sleep. Good sleep has been connected to better cognitive function and emotional health, and studies have also linked dreams to effective thinking, memory, and emotional processing. In this way, many experts believe dreaming is either a reflection of or a contr...

Nightmare disorder can be loosely defined as the occurrence of frequent nightmares that interfere with a person’s sleep and/or their mood or thinking during the day⁷

• Practice relaxation techniques to minimize stress and anxiety, both of which can provoke nightmares.
• Give yourself time to wind down before bed in a calm and comforting bedroom envir...

Dreaming is a normal part of healthy sleep. Good sleep has been connected to better cognitive function and emotional health, and studies have also linked dreams to effective thinking, memory, and emotional processing. In this way, many experts believe dreaming is either a reflection of or a contr...

• Healthy dreaming may be indicative of quality sleep that facilitates sharper thinking, better mood, and overall health.
• Dreaming may provide for more expansive or inspirational thinking, forming the underlying concept behind the maxim to “follow your dreams.”

• People with mental health disorders, such as anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), may experience worse symptoms as a result of recurring nightmares.
• Nightmares may interrupt sleep, causing daytime sleepiness, worsened mood, or thinking problems during the da...

Many factors influence dreaming, but it is not clearly established that sleeping position is one of those factors.

Some researchers have theorized that dream content may vary based on a person’s sleeping position because physical sensations and pressure applied to the body are ...

A limitation of these studies, though, is that they relied on self-reported data, which is subject to inaccuracies. For example, many people switch their sleeping position during the night without being aware of it. In addition, prior research has shown that sleep position doesn’t affect the amou...

People should talk with their doctor8  if they have nightmares more than once a week, have their sleep disrupted by nightmares, or notice that their daytime mood, thinking, or energy level is affected by nightmares. A doctor can work with them to identify the most likely cause and optimal tre...

Most people have a bad dream or nightmare every once in a while with no notable impact on their sleep quality. When nightmares happen often, though, they can become a barrier to sleep. For some people, nightmares occur multiple times per week and/or more than once in any given night.

At the same time, though, nightmares can disrupt sleep and even affect a person during their waking hours.

Given that virtually everyone has dreams, both good and bad, it’s natural to wonder how dreaming affects sleep quality, whether nightmares are bad for sleep, and how to avoid bad dream...