The Four Health Warnings Your Dreams Are Telling You
The Four Health Warnings Your Dreams Are Telling You
Research shows that getting fewer than 7 to 9 hours of sleep makes you more likely to live an unhealthy and shorter life. Sleep also helps improve your memory, learn new information faster and cope with stressful or difficult situations. Overall, sleep is vital to the recovery of your brain and body. But is dreaming just as important?
Research on dreams specifically is still pretty limited to this day. Having said that, the data still points to the importance of dreaming, including potential health problems or warnings – even if you don’t remember them.
Here are the four health warnings your dreams may be trying to tell you:
Stress and Anxiety
By far the most common health warnings that dreams predict are stress and anxiety. Dreams about your teeth falling out or you struggling to find your classrooms you once attending in high school are two all too common dreams people report when dealing with pent-up stress or extra anxiety.
Alzheimer's or Other Memory Loss
Some studies have shown that certain dreams may be an early sign of brain degeneration. For example, highly stressful dreams involving deathly or scary attacks or where you are running from someone are commonly reported among those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.
Thyroid Disease, Diabetes, or a Fever
Dreams of running to the bathroom or similar activities that cause you to sweat can indicate you are experiencing night sweats – a common symptom of an underactive thyroid or diabetes. If you commonly wake up in the middle of the night as if you just ran a marathon, then it’s important to reach out to your doctor and get a blood test. These similar dreams can also indicate that you have a fever or simple cold.
Heart Disease and Pregnancy
Two more common health conditions that your dreams can indicate are heart disease and pregnancy. While completely different, these two health warnings display similar dream types. Many people report seeing or experiencing the illness or pregnancy visually in their dreams as if it were real life, before they even received the diagnosis.
While your dreams should never be used as a diagnosis, they can be a good indicator to reach out to your doctor to be sure you are healthy, or as a reminder to practice mindfulness during your daily life regarding the habits you develop. Overall, dreaming indicates that you are getting sleep, a vital resource to live a happy and sustainable life.
