Nightmares ie scary or bad dreams can be troubling you. Sometimes due to this people's sleep also gets affected. But why do such dreams come? Whether it has anything to do with the imbalance in the chemicals in our brain or something else, we will try to understand this topic in this article.

Before understanding why scary dreams come, it is necessary to know why dreams come. In this regard, experts say that dreams help our mind to process thoughts and events of the day. Dreams, for example, are a part of brain activity that involves the mental processing of your emotions and the consolidation of your memories. This is a normal process of the brain.

Now let's know what could be the reason for having scary dreams.
Why do scary dreams come?
Scientists say, be it dreams or nightmares, the reasons behind it are still mysterious. It's not yet understood exactly what causes them, but brain studies have come up with several things that can cause nightmares.

The most common reason for this can also be the stress of daily life. People who worry about school or work are more likely to have nightmares than others. Apart from this, some major life events or changes in life such as the death of a loved one can also cause nightmares.

Rapid Eye Movement Relationship to Sleep
Rapid eye movement (REM), is a stage of sleep that causes rapid eye movements, irregular heartbeats, and increased breathing rates.

Harvard researchers reported that nightmares occur during periods of sleep when REM sleep is prolonged. Apart from this, nightmares can arise due to many reasons such as stress, anxiety, irregular sleep, consumption of drugs, mental health disorders, etc. But perhaps the most prominent cause is post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

PTSD may increase your risk
Nightmares are common after a traumatic event such as physical abuse, sexual abuse, or an accident. People with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are at increased risk. Apart from this, this problem also depends a lot on your mental health. People suffering from bipolar disorder, depression, or schizophrenia are also more prone to nightmares.

Doctors can help you reduce your risk of having nightmares through stress-reducing techniques and therapy.

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