It was released on September 13, 2024, through Warner Records as the first single from his second studio album, I've Tried Everything but Therapy (Part 2) (2025).

"Bad Dreams" was released on the heels of a performance at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards, where Swims performed a medley of "Lose Control", "The Door" and a cover of "Stay" (2012) by Rihanna and the song's co-writer Mikky Ekko.

[2] The song talks about "deep feelings" coming from a place of heartbreak and pain that leads to disorientation and insomnia.

[3] Ana Escobar Rivas of Los 40 thought the song contains the "soul essence" of all his worst nightmares as well as suffering "from insomnia" due to sleeping without his lover at night.

[4] Britt Mae at Melodic opined that Swims released a "firery new single" that "builds on the momentum" of his previous global hits.