Say no to bad dreams! Learn how to start having good dreams.

What causes bad dreams? Bad dreams can be disturbing, terrifying, and sometimes even cause the dreamer to awaken in a cold sweat. Everyone has bad dreams from time to time, but for some people, these bad dreams are more frequent. With that said, here are steps to having good dreams.

The content of dreams is a reflection of what you’re thinking about during the day and what’s happening in your life. If something is causing you stress during waking hours, this will likely carry over into your dream life. When your mind is unable to make sense of these emotions while you’re awake, they become manifested in your dreams – which could explain why they’re often so scary or confusing.

Causes Of Bad Dreams

• Trouble falling asleep

Bad dreams may be caused by trouble sleeping well at night. This could be due to many different things: anxiety about getting to sleep, sleeping in an uncomfortable position or perhaps from drinking too much alcohol before bedtime. Whatever the reason is for you having difficulty sleeping, it’s likely that your mind will go into overdrive during the time you’re awake and unable to sleep.

• Troublesome Dreams Caused by Health Problems

There are many health problems that can cause trouble sleeping and bad dreams. Some of the health problems include sleep apnea, insomnia, narcolepsy, tumours, diabetes, kidney failure and other liver diseases. Your doctor will be able to help you figure out what is causing your nightmares and how to fix them.

• Mental health issues

Mental health issues like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), trauma, and depression can cause nightmares. Nightmares can also occur as a side effect of medications such as antidepressants, anti-anxiety drugs, and sedatives.

Steps in having good dreams

• Step 1: Prepare for good dreams

First, you need to make sure your body is prepared for bed. Let yourself relax. Take a warm shower or bath, or do something that helps you unwind and feel good about your day.

• Step 2: Think about what you want to dream about

Before you go to sleep, think about the kind of dream you’d like to have. Do you want to meet a particular celebrity? Is there a problem in your life that you’d like some advice on? Do you want to experience a particular moment in history? Is there a memory from your childhood that you’d like to relive? Be as specific as possible when thinking about what you want to dream about.

• Step 3: Write down what you’d like to dream about, before getting into bed

Write it down on a piece of paper, or say it out loud into a tape recorder. By writing it down before getting into bed, you’ll help your brain associate the idea with the act of sleeping, which can help trigger the dream later on.

• Step 4: Once in bed, focus on the thought of having good dreams.

Try using progressive muscle relaxation or meditation techniques to get yourself into a relaxed state – then visualize yourself having the dream.