{"id":248,"date":"2022-07-13T21:24:00","date_gmt":"2022-07-13T21:24:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.stopsnoringlawton.com\/blog\/?p=248"},"modified":"2022-07-28T21:25:45","modified_gmt":"2022-07-28T21:25:45","slug":"can-sleep-apnea-give-you-nightmares","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.stopsnoringlawton.com\/blog\/2022\/07\/13\/can-sleep-apnea-give-you-nightmares\/","title":{"rendered":"Can Sleep Apnea Give You Nightmares?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Everyone has experienced a bad dream at some point in their life. Waking up with a rapidly beating heart and unpleasant images lingering in your mind is a common phenomenon that most people are familiar with. But did you know that individuals with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) could be more prone to nightmares than others? Read on to learn why sleep apnea nightmares are a thing and what you can do to enjoy better dreams and higher-quality rest.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

How Does Sleep Apnea Cause Nightmares?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Sleep apnea<\/a> is a common disorder that causes interruptions in breathing throughout the night. In many cases, each apneic event lasts for 10 seconds or longer. They typically occur dozens, sometimes even hundreds, of times each night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An apnea can easily send the body into panic mode. If you\u2019re unable to breathe properly, you may have a nightmare about suffocation. While scientists still don\u2019t fully understand the relationship between sleep apnea and nightmares, research indicates that severe cases of OSA can lead to increasingly unpleasant dreams. One study published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found that people with severe OSA are less likely to recall their nightmares, mainly because they don\u2019t spend as much time in REM sleep (the stage in which most dreaming occurs).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Real-World Effects of Nightmares<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Not only do people with sleep apnea have more unpleasant dreams, but these nightmares can negatively impact the rest of their day. Researchers found that daytime anxiety and daytime depression were significantly correlated with mean dream unpleasantness. That could be because when you sleep, your brain is busy processing information. If you experience anxiety throughout the day, it can translate into your sleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tips to Improve Dreams and Get More Restful Sleep<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Do you want to get your sleep apnea under control and enjoy more restful sleep? Here are some steps you can take:<\/p>\n\n\n\n