Are you tormented by nightmares and you don’t know why?

Bad dreams can mean that you are melancholy and sad.

In a study conducted by scientists in Finland, 28% of subjects diagnosed with severe depression experienced frequent nightmares, more than once a week, while only 2% of people without symptoms of the mental condition reported having nightmares. And 17% of insomniacs said they had frequent nightmares, compared to just over 1% of respondents who said they slept well.

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The same negative emotions, anxieties and agitations that are associated with depression and insomnia in the waking state can run through our brains while we sleep, potentially causing nightmares, says lead author in the field of evolutionary psychology, Nils Sandman.

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However, the study unravels the chicken-egg conundrum once again. Whether nightmares are a cause or a symptom of a sleep and mood disorder is likely to vary from person to person, Sandman says.

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However, if your nightmares go hand in hand with sleep problems or prolonged “bad mood”, especially signs of depression, such as sadness, fatigue, tearfulness, irritability or, on the other hand, especially in men, aggressiveness, impatience, impulsivity and obsession with work, it would be a good idea to check with your doctor if insomnia or depression cause tremors in your dreams.

Treating these conditions can reduce the occurrence of nightmares, Sandman says.

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There is no specific number of nightmares that indicates a problem. They become so when you feel that it is already too common, says Sandman.

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If your dreams keep you up frighteningly often at night, so much so that you hesitate to go to rest or wander in your mind while awake, in any case it would be advisable to consult a doctor, primarily a psychotherapist or psychiatrist.