hey tribe!

its another Monday. ask yourself, “is it just another day of hustle and bustle to meet your unrealistic expectations and achieve society’s unsaid goals?” if the answer is yes then you are struggling. struggling with stress, anxiety, and an ending loop of working without rest and self-appreciation. these stressful days can also ruin our sleep and lead to a particular kind of dream, known as stress dreams. let’s find out what they mean.

what are stress dreams?

stress or anxiety dreams are dreams that people experience during sleep or the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep cycle which create a feeling of anxiety in the middle of the night. it can be an overwhelming feeling like you have missed a deadline or a flight, not knowing where the fear stems from, even if it seems irrational. stress dreams are a little different from nightmares as they wake you up after heightening your stress levels unlike fear or terror in case of bad nightmares.

even if researchers do not agree on the exact reason for having these stress dreams, there is consensus in the scientific community that most people have these stress dreams. some of the most common examples of a stress dream is someone chasing you endlessly in the dream or you not being able to reach somewhere.

how to manage and stop stress dreams?

stress, unlike paranoia or fear, is easier to manage and control. you know we wouldn’t start a conversation like this without trying to reach some solution. so here are four simple tips to manage your stress and relax before you go to bed for the night:

spend an hour to wind down before you go to bed, like listening to music or reading a book. consider it some prep time for a more relaxed sleep. do not keep scrolling your phone in your wind-down-time.

schedule a specific time to worry about things that do not have an immediate resolution. plan it before having dinner or watching your favourite show so it is not immediately before you start preparing for the bed.

leave your bed if you are stressed. keep your bed for more enjoyable and pleasant activities.

practice other techniques to relax yourself like breathing exercises or meditation. you can also listen to sleep casts and meditative noises that help you focus more and shift you away from anxiety.

if you suddenly wake up at 3 am panicking, then don’t immediately start thinking about the finances and deadlines for the next day. don’t start counting the minutes when you are trying to fall asleep. it just increases your anxiety. if you can’t go back to sleep, then just get out of the bed and do the same things mentioned above to wind yourself down and relax.