Bad Dreams During Pregnancy

Many pregnant women complain of having bad dreams or nightmares during pregnancy. According to health experts, this phenomenon is completely normal and common for most of the pregnant women. The root cause of these bad dreams also lies in the psychological, emotional, and mental state of women. The dreams are nothing but the expression of emotions that are suppressed in the unconscious mind. Many times we do not express or acknowledge our fears, worries, or concerns, or forget them with time and these pent up feelings and emotions find their way through dreams we experience while sleeping.

Something About Dreams
Before I tell you something more about bad dreams that many women experience during pregnancy, I would like to tell you about the mental process that makes person dream. Dreams generally occur in the later part of the night when our mind still works. Dreams occur during Rapid Eye Movement (REM) that occurs when our brain produces smaller and faster brain waves in the process of managing the data and memory. At such times, a person could see some pictures moving in their mind which we call as dreams. So, the dreams are nothing but pictures, symbols or flashes, of innermost feelings and events, that a person sees. This happens when the brain stem and memory interact with each other at a time when the brain tries to process the memory. In short, bad dreams are the representation of our 'bad' emotions hidden in our subconscious.

Causes of these Bad Dreams
One of the major reasons why pregnant women experience bad dreams frequently is stress or fear of pregnancy or worrying too much about pregnancy. Well, again it is very natural for pregnant women to worry, especially, for the first time mothers. When a woman is pregnant, everyone seem to advice her for something or the other. Pregnant women read many books and try to gather maximum information about pregnancy and delivery. All this information could create a chaos of different thoughts in their mind which can result in bad dreams.

Apart from this, many pregnant women are also worried if they would be able to care for their babies well or would they be able to deliver the baby successfully, etc. Some other women are scared of making mistakes during pregnancy and hence, become excessively careful which causes more stress. This extra tension could bring out some negative thoughts and pessimistic attitude in them which too can very well result in bad dreams or nightmares. This apart, frequent visits to doctors for different check ups can also be one of the causes of bad dreams during pregnancy for many women. Women with prior history of bad dreams can handle nightmares well but for women who have never experienced bad dreams before, it can add some more stress their life which leads to further stress and further nightmares.

Ways to Deal With Bad Dreams
Well, the first and foremost thing is to stop worrying. I know it is quite difficult but you must learn to relax during pregnancy to avoid not only the bad dreams but to have overall safe and sound delivery. Apart from bad dreams, stress can have adverse effect on the growth of the baby and hence, it is better avoided. There are various ways in which you can avoid stress that can help you stop bad dreams from occurring:

• Try to get and believe only authentic and expert information regarding pregnancy. The best person is your family doctor or a gynecologist to consult when you are in doubt. The correct information would ease out more than half of your worries.
• Learn some relaxing methods. Engage yourself in activities that make you feel relaxed, stress free, and happy, such as following your hobbies, listening to music, or meditation, etc. Such activities will help you unwind and keep the stress at bay.
• A healthy and balanced diet also plays a major role when it comes to bad dreams. Try to avoid eating heavy dinner before going to bed as it can trigger sleep disturbance accompanied with weird dreams. So, try to take light, natural, and non spicy foods for dinner two to three hours before going to bed.
• A light exercise produces hormones that make one feel happy and hence exercising is also essential during pregnancy to avoid stress. Swimming and walking are considered as some of the best exercises to perform during pregnancy. But it is strictly advisable to consult your doctor before following any of the exercise regimen.
• Lastly, relax and think positive. It is extremely important to have a positive outlook when it comes to feeling good during pregnancy. So always be optimistic and try to resolve your queries and concerns as soon as possible instead of worrying about them.

With these ways it is possible to avoid or prevent bad dreams or nightmares during pregnancy. If the cause of the bad dreams relates to certain medication that you must take during pregnancy then be aware of this fact or ask your doctor if you could get another medication. Remember that occasional bad dreams during pregnancy are not serious so you need not be worried about it. But, if you suffer from excessive bad dreams or you feel that you are unable to deal with the stress those dreams cause then you must visit a doctor immediately and seek a treatment. I hope this information was resourceful for you. So now go ahead and have a good night sleep along with some cute dreams!