Reading Time: 3 minutesWhy Do We Have Bad Dreams?Dreaming is part of the mind’s emotional processing mechanism, which supports the formation of emotional episodic memories. Bad dreams are a normal part of this process and do not usually signify anything specific.The weird thing about dreams is they can evoke a sense of déjà vu in real life, where you experience something you have dreamed about. This gives dreaming a mystical edge; some think dreams can predict the future.Bad dreams, however, are unwelcome, evoking a sense of fear, anxiety, or sadness. They can be so powerful that you wake up and feel panicked as your mind desperately works to piece together what is real and what is a dream.But why do we have bad dreams and nightmares? And can they signify anything? This article explores your biggest questions.Why do we have bad dreams?Bad dreams are caused by electrical brain activity during the REM (rapid eye movement) sleep stage. Scientists think that different wavelengths of electr...
