One minute, you’re being chased by a shadowy figure, the next, you jolt awake in the safety of your own bed.
Your heart is racing, you’re sweaty, and despite it being the middle of the night, you’re wide awake.
When you clambered under the duvet hours earlier, you were fully conscious and aware that you were going to sleep.
So why is it that your brain seems to startle you awake during a bad dream, as though preparing your body to spring into action?
Dipti Tait, is an NSDR hypnotherapist and sleep expert. She tells Metro.co.uk that to understand why a bad dream wakes us up, it’s important to explain why we dream at all.
She says: ‘Dreaming is a way for our brain to empty its ‘stress bucket.’ We’re processing events of the day – whether that be in metaphor or replay.
‘It’s the time where we were take emotion out of events, and try to make sense of them.
‘That’s why when you wake up in the morning, you might feel less challenged or stressed about something that’s been bothering you.’
But when we’re sleeping, our brains can’t separate fact from fiction.
Dipti adds: ‘Your critical mind is switched off. It means that, as we sleep, we believe whatever we’re seeing when we dream.
‘As a result, if your brain perceives you to be in a stressful situation, it says: “no, don’t relax.”
‘Your body will release stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol, which will then wake you up.’
This also explains why you’ll feel a little disorientated when you’ve woken up suddenly. ‘Your reality is still a little blurred,’ adds Dipti.
So once you’ve woken up, how do you fall back into a slumber?
‘Firstly, I think it’s helpful to acknowledge that a bad dream is a way for your body to release stress,’ says Dipti.
‘A bad dream may feel horrible, but it’s actually your brain’s way of helping you out.
‘It can help ease any anxiety or fear to remember this.’
Next, Dipti has an unusual tip for calming down. She says: ‘It may sound odd, but I tell my clients to get out of bed, and do a plank on the floor.
‘That way, you’re getting all that adrenaline and pent up energy out of your system, without hyping yourself up even more. It’s not the same as jogging on the spot, for example.
‘You’ll also be physically grounding yourself, breathing deeply, and naturally calming down.’
Dipti also warns to resist the urge to grab your phone. She says: ‘Some people might turn on the TV, read a book or start scrolling on socials.
‘But there’s a chance this could make you even more alert. Try to avoid doing anything that will overstimulate you.’
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