Keep Having Nightmares Lately? What it Means for Mental Health

By: Michael Dayby Andrea M. DarcyKeep having nightmares, and wondering how connected bad dreams and mental health really are? And if there is any good side to the situation? Why do I keep having nightmares?Bad dreams can sometimes have a physical cause. It’s important to rule out things like taking a new medication, including anti-depressants. Or a sleep issue like restless leg syndrome or sleep apnea.And don’t discount a new regime of exercising or drinking alcohol before bed, both of which can be major sleep disruptors.But nightmares are more often connected to stress, anxiety, and traumatic events. And this can include world events. Many people have seen a rise of bad dreams since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, for example.Bad times, bad dreams?Several studies clearly show a direct correlation between the recent pandemic and the rise of nightmares.This was particularly true for those working with the victims. A study of frontline workers in Wuhan during the first outbreak found...