How much does Anxiety affect your dreams

[Starscream]

Before I was ever worried about my health or generally stressed and anxious I don't think I ever looked into my dreams or bothered too much about what they were about.

Ever since I started looking online and developing Health Anxiety I'd say I keep thinking my dreams are premonitions and ever since I dreamed my mum would smash one of my favourite drinks cups and it happened I've been even worse. I know it's a huge coincidence but the fact was it was vivid and it happened.

Makes me wonder if my Cancer/AIDS/Leukemia/MS dreams I've had and woke up sweating from are Premonitions too.

But then I had a really really vivid dream someone in my work bought a new car and another girl was pregnant and they weren't true.

How much does Anxiety mess with your dreams where they seem so scarily real and you end up getting scared what you dream happens in real life ?

[Maj]

I think when you are anxious you do have really vivid and strange dreams. I suppose when you are sleeping your mind is still working a bit overtime. They are only dreams though, and can't do any real harm. I've had a few dreams where the event has actually happened and it's been a huge coincidence. My husband has taken Kalms Sleep a few times and my goodness, his dreams have been weird!! We've had a laugh at them!! So yes, I do think anxiety, and other things, affect your dreams.
Myra:hugs:

[westofengland]

yes i have been obsessing about skin cancer and had dreams about that, and then about oral cancer (dreamt my tongue fell out). So its quite normal I think!
Myra's advice about laughing at them is a good one, my sister has suffered from HA and that's what she said she did - just laughed about the way she was obsessing about ANOTHER rare disease! We probably all get very self absorbed and take ourselves way too seriously

[87sal87]

My dreams have been horrible since my anxiety kicked off majorly, I'm being plagued by the most strangest, gruesome nightmares...i.e people's heads exploding. lol
What made it worse was a few days before I ended up in the A&E was a pounding heart rate, I'd dreamt of the grim reaper of all things...which completely freaked me out even more! lol.

I also sometimes get strange (sorry to be abit saucy lol) sexual ones too...anyone else get those rather than nightmares? They're usually about the strangest people too...
but I'd rather have them than the nightmares...lol

[Ella_Jayne]

My dreams have become very anxiety related since I've developed health anxiety. I've had dreams of dying, having panic attacks and also dreams that I'm having heart problems. It's not nice atall, as I like to feel an escape from anxiety/panic when I sleep, but even then it exists!!!