Do Dreams Affect Sleep?

In most cases, dreams don't affect sleep.Dreaming is part of healthy sleep and is generally considered to be completely normal and without any negative effects on sleep.Nightmares are the exception.Because nightmares involve awakenings, they can become problematic if they occur frequently.This negative cycle can cause some people with frequent nightmares to experience insomnia as a chronic sleep problem.

For this reason, people who have nightmares more than once a week, have fragmented sleep, or have daytime sleepiness or changes to their thinking or mood should talk with a doctor.