Society seems to condition us to always appear calm and in full control of how we feel, no matter the circumstances. Suppressing emotions may seem like a great way to prove that you’re strong and not a weak crybaby but hiding how you really feel can have serious health consequences such as mental fatigue, elevated blood pressure, and sleeping problems.

Common signs that you suppress your emotions as a coping strategy include:

- Using things like drugs or alcohol to numb the pain and escape from your thoughts.

- Avoiding discussing your emotions on purpose.

- Avoiding events that trigger your emotions or push you to confront them.

- Distracting yourself so you don't react.

One of the primary ways 'that shutting down' bad sensations affects you is through your dreams. The brain naturally attempts to resolve emotions, but it need your assistance to do so. When you refuse to acknowledge negative emotions, your brain is forced to handle them on its own. During sleep, memories are processed and stored. When you refuse to confront your negative feelings when awake, the brain strives to counteract them while you sleep. This allows these feelings to appear during your unconscious dreaming state. 

Research by Malinowski (2017)  that confirmed the importance of 'dream rebound'. When we conceal our feelings, they appear in our dreams. Participants who suppressed negative thoughts reported more unpleasant emotions in their dreams, including sadness, fear, rage, and anxiety. Participants who suppressed their negative emotions had poor sleep quality, difficulties falling asleep, used sleep medication, slept restlessly, and felt exhausted during the day. They also reported greater rates of sadness, anxiety, and stress. 

Researchers discovered that unpleasant emotions experienced during waking hours are more likely to materialize in dreams. Especially grief, fear, anger, and worry. Positive emotions were not prominently represented in dreams. Furthermore, suppressing feelings is linked to lower sleep quality as well as anxiety, despair, and stress levels. 

How To Work Through Your Emotions In A Healthy Manner

Here are some suggestions to help you handle negative emotions in a healthy way, rather than repressing them:

- Journal: Free-form journaling can help you discharge your bad emotions. Before going to bed, write out your bad sentiments and possible remedies. This can be cathartic and greatly enhance your sleep quality.
- Talk about your dreams: It is quite beneficial to evaluate your dreams with the assistance of a therapist. Unpacking these dreams with your therapist can help you discover the specific feelings you're concealing and learn how to manage them in a healthy way.
- Practice mindfulness: Be aware of your thoughts. Take note of them and then let them go, rather than repressing them. Meditation can also help you feel calmer. 

I help people manage their emotions in the best way possible and unleash their full potential to live and love well. If you need help with managing your negative emotions properly, please contact me to book a session.