Why your nightmares might actually be ‘stress dreams’

Move over boogie man, my teeth have fallen out

Are your subconscious concoctions trying to tell you something? Image: Getty

Have you ever dreamt of forgetting your clothes at a formal event, or sleeping through your alarm? An expert breaks down the difference between ‘stress dreams’ and traditional nightmares, and why we should be paying closer attention to our subconscious concoctions.

When I was little, I had a recurring nightmare that to this day, is engrained in my mind. Like most eight-year-olds, my fruitful imagination concocted some pretty wacky scenarios in my sleep. In short, I’d be getting chased by vampires in a graveyard: your stock-standard amalgamation of childhood fears. 

But as I got older, my ‘nightmares’ transformed from farfetched fears to more realistic everyday anxieties. So much so, that I’d often wake up convinced the stressful scenario had really happened. Now, during my scariest slumbers, I’m running late for work, I’ve lost a tooth, or I’m in imaginary labour with an imaginary baby. 

While they’re a far cry from the boogie man and spider infestations, these dreams can still leave us wishing we had our parents’ covers to crawl under.

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So why are my everyday anxieties and stresses headlining my nightmares? Dr Moira Junge, Health Psychologist at The Sleep Health Foundation, says these kinds of subconscious concoctions might not be nightmares at all.  

The sleep expert explains that dreaming is a normal part of healthy sleep, and even ‘stressful’ dreams generally shouldn’t have a long-term negative effect on our sleep quality. Nightmares, however, invariably involve awakenings and can become problematic if they occur too regularly. 

“Nightmares have more intense and distressing content and can be associated with terror, fear, and shock, rather than the worry and frustration of a ‘stress dream’,” explains Dr Junge.

While dreaming is a normal part of sleep, some can leave us feeling unnerved ad overwhelmed. Image: Getty

And while ‘stress dreams’ aren't a formal term used in the world of sleep research and sleep psychology, Dr Junge says virtually all experts acknowledge that dreams can involve content that ties back to waking experiences, both positive and negative in nature. 

“I think a great summary sentence is that ‘stress dreams’ may reflect your daily worries, stresses, or unresolved issues,” explains the sleep expert. “While nightmares are far more intense and may be linked to traumatic experiences or fears and cause greater negative impact.” 

So what do stress dreams look like?

Manifestations of everyday stress can look a little different depending on the person, but according to Dr Junge, there seem to be some common ones most people experience. 

For example, many people find themselves having dreams of being late or unprepared for a test or interview, or being present at a significant event incorrectly dressed or naked. Another common ‘stress dream’ involves losing your teeth or your hair, leaving the individual feeling particularly unsettled.

Sleeping through an alarm, or being late to work, is a common manifestation of stress in our dreams. Image: Getty

Depending on their intensity, fear level, and frequency, other ‘stress dreams’, such as being chased or trapped, are often categorised as nightmares. 

While dream interpretation is a controversial topic in the field, with no universally agreed-upon guidelines, Dr Junge says we can still decipher some useful meaning from our stressful dreams without getting too specific. 

“These stress dreams often reflect our fears, insecurities, worries, wishful thinking, or unresolved issues in our waking life,” explains the sleep expert. 

Dr Junge says her own experience with ‘stress dreams’ throughout her adulthood has coincided with key life events, like getting married or having children, reflecting her natural feelings of anticipation and worry.  

Are these dreams inevitable, or can we avoid them?

While there’s no fool-proof way to avoid stressful and bizarre dreams altogether, the sleep expert says we can minimise their frequency and impact on our emotional health by addressing our real-life stress triggers. 

“In most cases, periodic stress dreams are quite normal and quite harmless and it will not be a recurring or distressing situation,” says Dr Junge. “All of us will have personal and professional ups and downs across any given month and year.” 

Mindful activities well before bed time, such as journaling or reading, can help relax our subconscious and improve out sleep quality. Image: Getty

The expert says we can manage our everyday stress levels by keeping a consistent sleep schedule, managing our workload, ensuring we are surrounded by positive and supportive relationships,  and maintaining a healthy diet and fitness routine. 

Furthermore, she says having a buffer zone between your ‘switched-on’ time and sleep, such as TV, reading, or meditating, can help set up your subconscious for an effective and peaceful slumber. It may also be helpful to journal your tangible worries and fears well before you go to bed, ensuring those negative thoughts aren’t internalised too deeply. 

Above all, maintaining good ‘sleep hygiene’ across your weekly schedule will consequently add consistency and regularity to your quality of sleep. To find out more about how you can improve your sleep schedule and quality of slumber, visit The Sleep Health Foundation.

Originally published as Why your nightmares might actually be ‘stress dreams’