What to Do About Bad Dreams: Islamic Advice to Overcome Anxiety and Distress
Question: I have bad dreams, sometimes three times in one night. Describing them makes me feel anxious and scared. After the night, I spent the whole day feeling confused, worried, and depressed. I have no control over these dreams, but what should I do because they are causing me mental distress?
Answer: Frightening dreams are from Shaytan, and we should not pay attention to them or let them occupy our minds; otherwise, we will always remain anxious.
To understand this, consider an example: if a bad woman insults you and you ignore her, it doesn’t matter. But if you dwell on it, you will feel distressed. If someone says something even more threatening, like “I will kill you” or “I will disgrace you,” and you let it occupy your mind, you will lose sleep. However, if you don’t give importance to such things, it won’t affect you, no matter what anyone says. The same applies to bad dreams; if you worry about them, they will keep coming and you will always be distressed. If you don’t give them any significance, they will eventually stop.
Therefore, do not let the dreams occupy your mind and take some precautions:
- Perform the five daily prayers regularly.
- Recite the supplications after prayers and the morning and evening supplications.
- Make a habit of reciting the Quran.
- Perform ablution before sleeping and recite the supplications for sleeping, reciting them aloud enough to hear yourself.
It is very important to sleep on time and wake up for Fajr prayer. Do not oversleep, as excessive sleep can lead to bad and frightening dreams.
Sheikh Maqbool Ahmed Salafi (may Allah preserve him)
❪Jeddah Dawah Center, Hayy Al-Salamah – Saudi Arabia❫
Sheikh Maqbool Ahmed Salafi (may Allah preserve him)