People dealing with a lot of stress and anxiety often notice their sleep patterns being affected. Some even experience what are known as anxiety dreams. These are unpleasant dreams where you may feel uncomfortable and upset. An anxiety dream can cause you to wake abruptly during the night and could make it harder for you to fall back asleep. This can leave you feeling tired and stressed the following day. Sometimes, people will wake from an anxiety dream only to return to it when they fall back asleep again.

Why Do People Have Anxiety Dreams?

According to the folk at Psych Blossom, anxiety dreams often occur in those struggling with mental health problems such as depression or anxiety disorder. Feelings of stress can often creep into our dreams and disrupt sleep. The issue of anxiety dreams and how they are linked to daytime feelings of stress is often unearthed during anxiety therapy.

But it is not just those with mental health problems who have anxiety dreams. They often occur, for example, in individuals who have been drinking too much alcohol or who have been dealing with stressful situations in their lives.

Anxiety is a feeling of unease that often precedes something that is about to happen, such as before an exam or a new situation. It can often occur in those who are dealing with stressful situations. For example, a person might be feeling anxious if they have money problems, are experiencing conflict at work, or are having issues in their relationships. Oftentimes, these feelings of anxiety will manifest in dreams.

What Do Anxiety Dreams Look Like?

Dreams are different for everyone, but there are some common dreams that are considered to be anxiety dreams. For example, those with panic disorder might regularly dream that they are drowning, which would also induce feelings of panic. The symptoms of a panic attack, such as difficulty breathing or pressure on the chest, are similar to those that would be felt by someone drowning.

Another quite common anxiety dream is one in which you are being chased. Some people will dream that they are trying to run away from someone but are struggling to get anywhere. The fear of being caught can cause stress and panic in the dream, and these are feelings synonymous with those felt by individuals suffering from social anxiety disorder. Dreams of being chased are also common among those experiencing financial difficulties.

People who dream of being naked in public may be experiencing feelings of embarrassment or are worried about what others might think of them. This is a common dream among those dealing with conflict in work or with friends.

Do Your Dreams Mean Anything?

If you are regularly having anxiety dreams, it could just be an indication that you are dealing with stressful situations in your waking life. You cannot control your dreams, but you can take measures to control the worries that are causing them. If you are suffering with anxiety or depression, then talking to a counselor might help. If your dreams are an indication of things going on in your life, then they are likely to pass when you are no longer worried. It is best not to dwell on the dreams too much unless they are occurring quite often and are having a negative impact on your life.

To conclude, anxiety dreams are often the result of subconscious worries we have. While they are unpleasant and often upsetting, they are rarely anything to overly worry about. They are usually just your brain’s way of highlighting the stress you are dealing with.

Check out the infographic below for tips to stop the stress build up and keep it out of your dreams!

Infographic provided by Scottsdale Mental Health and Wellness, an Arizona substance abuse treatment center