Can Insomnia Cause Nightmares?

Can Insomnia Cause Nightmares? (Answered!)

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Insomnia is certainly linked to a higher risk of nightmares. Whether or not we dream or remember our dreams is largely down to how deep and restful our sleep is. Naturally, if you’re suffering with insomnia, then what periods of sleep you do have are going to be fairly restless.

 

So, the important distinction to make is that insomnia does not directly cause nightmares.

It’s not some kind of chemical reaction that leads to more nightmares.

It’s simply about how vividly we recall our dreams, and how awake we are when they are happening.

Let’s look further into this.

Can Insomnia Cause Nightmares?

Does insomnia give you nightmares?

Not directly, no, but it certainly can lead to a higher risk of nightmares.

The important thing to note is that even among the top scientists in the field, the precise nature and purpose of dreams is not completely understood.

Our best theories suggest it is some way of sorting out the important and unimportant information and feelings.

So, with that in mind, it’s important to note that insomnia doesn’t cause any kind of chemical imbalance in the brain directly which leads to nightmares.

Each night, as we sleep, we go through cycles.

The deepest part of the cycle is known as REM sleep. REM sleep is where the bulk of our dreaming occurs, and we don’t always achieve this state if our sleep is too restless.

Insomnia, obviously, has a great impact on these sleeping cycles.

So, what I am getting at is that insomnia will not absolutely, definitely give you nightmares.

The point is, more, that it definitely can give you nightmares.

Let’s look at exactly why.

 

Why does insomnia give you nightmares?

So, as I’ve said, most of our dreaming happens in the deepest stage of sleep, REM.

When you are suffering with insomnia, at best REM sleep is going to be restless and disturbed, and at worst you won’t achieve this stage of sleep at all.

When we have bad dreams, what’s really occurring is that we are remembering them more clearly.

We dream every night, but some nights our dream recall is much higher because we are more awake.

Insomnia usually means a lot of lying awake at night, punctuated by short bouts of sleeping if you’re lucky.

If you’re unlucky again, though, because your mind is so awake still, your dreams are going to be very vivid and your dream recall is going to be extremely high.

So, it’s all to do with whether or not we have a deep, restful sleep.

Nothing can get in the way of this like insomnia, so what can you do about it?

 

How to stop insomnia nightmares

I want to say, straight away, that insomnia is a serious condition and sometimes, you might need to speak to a professional about it.

Don’t underestimate how much it can affect your quality of life, and it can’t always be solved by simple means.

That said, there are a number of things you can do to give yourself a better, fighting chance of getting a good night’s rest.

The best thing is to stick to a schedule.

Go to sleep and wake up at the same time each day.

This will help your body find its own rhythm.

Pay close attention to your diet, too.

Try not to eat late at night, but don’t go to bed hungry, either.

Both will affect your sleep.

Try to include a good amount of physical activity in your day, too.

This will help your body use up surplus energy.

Basic relaxation techniques, like aromatherapy and meditation, can work wonders for the right person, too.

If you are having no luck even with the best habits, then you really ought to speak to a professional.

They can get you the help you need.

 

Does insomnia give you night terrors?

It’s not impossible, but it’s quite unlikely unless you’re already predisposed to having night terrors.

Night terrors are far more common in children than in adults.

So, for a child who is struggling to sleep, who already suffers from night terrors, struggling to sleep can certainly make this worse.

That said, sleep deprivation can certainly cause low level hallucinations.

How we classify night terrors isn’t exactly strictly medically defined, so in a sense, long term insomnia could cause night terrors of a sort.

Overall, though, it’s quite unlikely.  

 

Insomnia is a deeply unpleasant condition, and suffering with it can feel like an endless battle.

I’ve provided some basic advice here for how you might help your sleep along, but like I’ve said, there’s no substitute for a visit to the doctor in cases where you simply aren’t getting anywhere.

Insomnia tends to spiral, and get worse and worse—so you should speak to someone if you are concerned that your insomnia is having a serious impact on your life.

 

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