Weird Dreams While Pregnant - Common Dreams to Experience

You’ve been warned, but now you have finally experienced them--pregnancy dreams. It is not uncommon to experience weird dreams while pregnant. Now, not only do you have to deal with sleep interrupted by pee breaks and discomfort, but weird dreams are waking up you too. Don’t worry, in this article we will explain why pregnancy affects dreams, when they start, common dreams, and what to do about them.

How Does Pregnancy Affect Dreams

Pregnant women often report an increase in strange, weird, and sometimes frightening dreams. In addition, pregnant women also report an increased ability to recall their dreams. These dreams can be so real, vivid, and detailed that you may wake up wondering if they were real.

In most cases, vivid and detailed dreams during pregnancy are normal and healthy. Dreams help us process our emotions and often can release stress that we may have had throughout the day. So, with this in mind, we can discuss why pregnancy affects dreams.

Why Does Pregnancy Affect Dreams

There are a few theories about why pregnancy affects your dreams so much. One theory is that it is hormones. Hormones affect so many other parts of your life and your pregnancy experience that this could be the culprit. Another theory is that because you are waking up so many times throughout the night, you are interrupting your dream cycle. When you interrupt a dream cycle you are stopping the dream right in the middle of it. This can lead you to remember more details and imagine the dreams much more vividly.

Finally, dreams are also a way that your subconscious processes your emotions and your stress. With so many things to worry about with a new baby coming, you may be unable to process all your emotions during the day. Because of this, your subconscious has more things to process which can cause you to have vivid and intense dreams.

When Do Pregnancy Dreams Start

Every person dreams every night. You may not remember your dreams in the morning, but everyone has dreams. So, technically you are dreaming throughout your entire pregnancy. However, the vivid dreams and increased recall of dreams typically starts to occur in the third trimester. The belief is that this is because you are waking up multiple times during the night due to your pregnancy. Women in their third trimester wake up more times than the average person during the night to go pee, readjust their sleeping position, or because they are experiencing heartburn, etc. When a woman wakes up in the middle of the night they interrupt their REM cycle which causes them to remember their dreams.

Common Pregnancy Dreams

Every dream is different, just like every person is different. However, there are a few common types of dreams that pregnant women tend to have.

• Dreams About Forgetting Something: Some women tend to have recurring dreams where they forget to lock the front door or turn off the oven. These can stem from a fear that you are not ready to become a mother.
• Injury Dreams: Another common dream is one where you are falling from a high height or you are injured in some way. These can stem from feelings of vulnerability.
• Restriction Dreams: Dreams where you are physically restricted, tied down, or chained to something are also common. These can be an indicator that you are afraid of the responsibilities and restrictions of becoming a mom.
• Dreams With Ancestors: You have a new generation of your family growing inside of you, it is only natural that you may dream of your past ancestors.
• Dreams about your baby: Many women experience dreams of cuddling, kissing, and caring for their baby while pregnant. This can be a way for your subconscious mind to attach to your baby before they are born. Similarly, you can have dreams about the baby and their life after they are born. You can dream about them being born with a problem or deformity, or you can dream about them becoming a child prodigy. These dreams can be a way for your subconscious mind to confront your fears or wishes for your new child.
• Dreams about Labor and Delivery: Many pregnant women also experience weird dreams about labor and delivery. These typically stem from fears about the labor and delivery process.
• Sex Dreams: Another very common dream is one about sex. Your hormones during pregnancy increase your sexual arousal, so it is not uncommon for you to have sex dreams. They can be a way of expressing your desires or just be a release of tension.

What To Do About Pregnancy Dreams

Pregnancy dreams are a completely normal and healthy part of the pregnancy experience. Even nightmares are a way of your subconscious trying to explore unknowns and gain control over a very large change in your life. Don’t worry too much about them. However, if they are interrupting your sleep too much, or you have reason to believe something may be wrong, talk to your doctor.

The best way to combat weird dreams while pregnant is to try to get as much sleep as possible. When you wake up in the middle of a sleep cycle, you are likely going to remember your dreams. If you sleep through the night or wake up only a few times, you are less likely to remember your dreams. Similarly, try writing your dreams down in a dream journal. That way you can analyze them and see if there is a common theme among them. Because your dreams are a part of your subconscious there may be something you need to work through in your waking life in order to stop them. All in all, don’t take too much to heart when it comes to pregnancy dreams. Our imaginations are much more creative than we give them credit for.

Key Takeaways

Weird dreams while pregnant are normal, healthy, and common. There is no specific reason for why your dreams are so vivid, but there are theories about it. These dreams typically occur in the third trimester, and there are usually a few common themes among them. If you are concerned about your dreams, talk to your physician, or try to write them in a dream journal and work out what might be causing them. If you are having dreams about postpartum recovery and your body after delivery, don’t worry, Bellefit’s postpartum girdle has you covered.

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