Do you have nightmares? Here’s what they say about you

New research suggests that individual personality traits and emotional state can play a significant role in how many nightmares a person has and how profoundly they are affected by them

Nightmares are an intrinsic byproduct of the dreaming process. Image: Getty

John Mac Ghlionn

Recent research published in the journal Dreaming provides fresh insights into what influences nightmares and the distress they cause. According to the study, an individual’s enduring personality traits, rather than transient emotional states, are pivotal in the origin of nightmares and the subsequent distress they cause.

This nuanced understanding shifts the focus from the temporary to the temperamental, offering new insights into the somewhat terrifying world of nightmares.