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Most Common Fears of New and Expectant Parents
Prenatal Health and wellness / 21st October, 2022
During pregnancy, your dreams can become weirder or more vivid than usual. You may be wondering what these dreams mean and why they seem particularly unusual.
Read on to find out what might be behind your strange or bad dreams during pregnancy, and what you can do to keep them from affecting your sleep.
What Causes Vivid Dreams During Pregnancy?
Just like with “pregnancy brain,” experts are not 100 percent certain what could be behind any weird or vivid “pregnancy dreams” you might have. Here, however, are some common hypotheses as to why these strange dreams might occur:
- Over the course of your pregnancy, your body goes through significant physical changes, including changing hormone levels. These changes can affect your mood and also the way your brain processes information. This might be what triggers unusual dreams, especially in the third trimester.
- The changes you’re going through during pregnancy can also influence your sleep patterns. For example, you may not be able to get quality sleep if you have a pregnancy symptom like frequent urination through the night. Waking through the night can affect your REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep, which is when most dreams occur. When REM sleep is inconsistent or disrupted, it can influence how much you dream and increase your ability to remember your dreams. This can give you the impression that your dreams are more vivid than normal, even though you may be dreaming the same way you did before you were pregnant.
- While you’re pregnant, you may find you’re under more stress or have heightened emotions. This may lead to anxiety-filled dreams. Experts think that these dreams could be your subconscious trying to cope with or work through any fears or doubts you might have about pregnancy or becoming a parent, especially if you’re a first-time mom.
How to Stop Vivid or Bad Dreams During Pregnancy
You may not be able to prevent dreams from happening (and you may not want to!) but you can try to focus on reducing the stressors that can affect the quality of your sleep and that may be behind some of your bad dreams.
"Stop caring about what other people think. Listen to your gut, let your baby cry in public (or on an airplane), and remember that if you’re doing the best that you can, that’s all that matters."
- Maria, parent of two
In the beginning it’ll seem like your life revolves around feeding, diapering, bathing, and soothing your baby. And expect to do all of this on very little sleep! You may see no end in sight, but be patient, because it won’t be like this forever. As your baby grows, things will change, your routines will change, and your life will look different even in just a few months down the line.
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Frequently Asked Questions
1. What causes weird, vivid, or bad dreams during pregnancy?
Your body goes through many changes during pregnancy, including hormonal changes. Some of these changes can affect your emotions and anxiety levels, which in turn might influence your dreams. Feeling anxious or stressed during your waking hours may also lead to bad dreams during pregnancy.
2. What are some common pregnancy dreams?
Dreaming during your pregnancy is quite normal, and there’s nothing to worry about if the frequency or weirdness of your dreams has increased a little. However, if you are having nightmares or think that high levels of stress and anxiety might be causing your vivid dreams, you might like to reach out to your healthcare provider for some help and reassurance..
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