Nightmares are defined as repeated awakenings from the major sleep period or naps with detailed recall of extended and extremely frightening dreams, usually involving threats to survival, security, or self-esteem. The awakenings generally occur during the second half of the sleep period also know as the REM stage of sleep (Psych Central, 2013). Nightmares affect all ages, but children seem to have such dreams more often. Nightmare disorder should not be confused with night terrors, for they have a different effect on the dreamer. Night terrors are episodes of panic and confusion, with difficulty walking or bringing to awareness, and of which the sufferer has no recollection (Kavanagh, 2010). Major differences between both is that nightmares are vivid images, while night terrors are feelings or emotions that can not be recollected. Also, as stated before, nightmares occur during the REM stage of sleep. In contrast, night terrors occur during the non-REM stage which happens within the first 3-4 hours of sleep. Although both nightmare and night terrors bring great discomfort to the individual, it is important to note that they are different disorders.
There are signs/symptoms that an individual can present that easily help identify a nightmare disorder. The most common sign is seen when an individual repeatedly awakes from his or her sleep, during the second half of his or her sleep. On awakening, the sufferer is usually rapidly orientated and alert. Moaning, moving, talking or flailing to indicate a potentially disturbing dream are also other possible signs of nightmare disorder (Regional Center, 2014). During night terrors, the dreamer has recurrent episodes of intense crying and fear during sleep, in most cases the individual h...
... middle of paper ...
...he propensity to nightmares. Use of night lights and other strategies may reduce a child's anxiety levels at night. If the nightmares are recurrent then it may help for the parents to talk through the nightmare and imagine a less scary endings. For adults, behavioral approaches in the treatment of nightmares have been successful and can result in short- and long-term reduction of nightmare frequency in more than 70 percent of patients. Such therapy requires only a few group or individual sessions with a psychologist or in a sleep medicine center (Pagel, 2000). Unlike other major disorders, nightmare disorder allows the individual to take personal steps to overcome the disorder before seeking professional help. For many, being able to self treat the disorder gives them greater empowerment and allows the individual to help others who experience the same disorder.
Sleep is a way to conserve energy, is restorative, centers on the role of sleep in brain plasticity, and can enhance your memory. Insomnia is a sleep disorder which an individual can have problems falling asleep, waking up during the night, or waking up to early. Another is Somnambulism, which is sleepwalking or sleep talking. Nightmares are a frightening dream that awakens a dreamer from REM sleep.
3f. when I have nightmares I tend to dream of person versus supernatural conflict. I have these awful dreams about my great grandmother’s spirit coming after me and attacking me. Sometimes I am so scared to go to bed that I try to force myself to stay
The discovery of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep suggested that sleep was not, as it was thought to be, a dormant state but rather a mentally dynamic one. Your brain is, in fact, very active in this state, almost to the level at which it is when a person is awake. Yet during this active stage in which most dreams occur, the movements of the rest of the body are completely stilled. To imagine this paralysis during dreams not occurring is a frightful image, since in many cases dreams are violent and active. When the neurotransmitters that control the movement of the body do not work properly the person develops REM sleep behavioral disorder (RBD).
According to the history, Sleep Paralysis was classified as nightmare, a term that evolved into our modern definition by Samuel Johnson. It was widely considered to be the work of the demons, which were thought to sit on the chest of the sleeper. Various forms of magic and spiritual possession were also advanced as causes. But Sleep Paralysis can occur in the state between REM sleep, where dreaming occurs, and waking up. During REM sleep, the brain paralyses the body in order to keep us away from carrying out our dream-actions that could harm ourselves somehow. At times, our brain does not put off these dreams or the paralysis that comes along with them, resulting in a potentially terrifying experience. Sleep paralysis had been linked to disorders such as migraines, anxiety disorders, and obstructive sleep apnea. But when linked to another disorder, sleep paralysis commonly occurs together with the neurological sleep disorder called Narcolepsy. David McCarty, a sleep researcher at Louisiana State Health University, explained that in sleep paralysis, two of the key REM sleep components are presen...
...ans after the implementation of imagery rehearsal (Harb et al., 2012). Veterans found it useful to “devise an alternate ending to the dream, using distancing techniques, and transforming weapons into harmless objects” (Harb et al., 2012, p.516). The study also concluded that individuals would experience superior results if they excluded violent details in the rescription of the nightmare, as those might become triggers of trauma related memories (Harb et al., 2012). MHNs need to inform patients about the effectiveness of exposure therapy and imagery rehearsal, which in turn, would minimize the distress experienced, and decrease PTSD symptom severity (Harb et al., 2012). Decreased distress may reduce insomnia and nightmares as well as, the risk of alcohol abuse and suicidal ideations in patients suffering from the distress, anxiety, and stress of PTSD symptoms.
Dreams are series of thoughts, images, and sensations occurring in a person’s mind during sleep. Dreams occur during a certain stage of sleep known as REM. Several different psychologists, including Freud and Hobson, have studied dreams. Psychologists have provided many theories as to what dreams are and the meanings behind them.
Nightmares are dreams with extreme fear, horror, or anxiety. They affect people of all ages for many different reasons. Nightmares are often caused by one of three factors: stress, eating habits, or medication.
Night terror is relatively unknown. For this reason, many confuse night terror and nightmare, which happens during another stage of sleep (REM). Moreover, night terror is less prevalent and affects a smaller percentage
Fisher, C.J., Byrne, A., Edwards, and Kahn, E. (1970) REM and NREM nightmares. In E. Hartman (ed), Sleep and Dreaming. Boston : Little Brown
Images of the evil characters may run through a child’s mind such that he/she fails to concentrate in order to sleep. Sleeping in the dark may be a problem for many viewers because darkness reminds them of the gory scenes in the movie. Some viewers may have nightmares that wake them up at night, thus disrupting their sleeping patterns. In many instances, horror movies might cause the inability to sleep through the night on the day of watching the movie. Some children may fail to resume normal sleeping for few days after watching them. However, movies that have powerful characters that the child can relate may make him/her to lack sleep for weeks and even months after watching the movie. Many children may start to use nightlights in the bedroom while
My mum always used to say to me 'give your life to Christ before it's
Many people suffer from bad dreams, often referred to as nightmares, every night. It is not uncommon to experience fright filled slumber from time to time, but some people are inclined to suffer more often than an occasional bad dream. While some mental health professionals believe nightmares reduce mental tensions by allowing the mind to act out its fears, new research suggests that bad dreams are more likely to increase anxiety in everyday life. In addition to life’s anxieties, what other factors contribute to nightmares and why?
Usually when you end up drifting off to sleep, you fall into a deep sleep and begin to experience a so called dream.” However, most children, and even some adults, experience some even more terrifying so called dreams. These dreams are called nightmares. Nightmares have been occurring in people’s sleep for hundreds of years. People have been interested in them for centuries and they have quite an interesting past to them.
First, let examined the definition of dream according to Sigmund Freud “dream is the disguised fulfilment of a repressed wish. Dreams are constructed like a neurotic symptom: they are compromises between the demands of a repressed impulse and the resistance of a censoring force in the ego” (Freud, 28). This simple means that all dreams represent the fulfilment of a wish by the dreamer. Dreams are the mind way of keeping an individual asleep and to digest and work out all that we have going on inside our brains, the negative, positive, fear and unclear thoughts and actions. This set the framework for dream work. Freud also stresses that even anxiety dreams and nightmares are expressions of unconscious desire. Freud further went on to say that, “the general function of dreaming is to fending off, by a kind of soothing action, external or internal stimuli which would tend to arose the sleeper, and thus of securing sleep against interpretation” (Freud, 28). With this, it shows that a dreamer can take apart his dream and analysis it, if he or she remembers, once conscious.
There was an impending doom coming to the small town of Calamity. Unbeknownst to the citizens it would come firstly upon a church on the outskirts of a town. A few people were inside as the doom came closer. Preacher Tom was the first one in the church to sees what would haunt the town and was scared out of his wits. He pushes a young woman out of the doorway as he speeds into the church. He continues to bar the door and close up all of the windows as the surprised group stares on at him with suspicion. He dropped to his knees and prayed as a loud noise echoed through the building. The crowd began to scream as the windows rattled and the building swayed. All of a sudden, a whimper could be heard from the back side of the building. The sound was unmistakable, it was the tiny voice of little Lisa Cunningham. Mrs. Hamm hobbled quickly over to the door before anyone else could react. She threw the door open as Father Ted finally came to his senses. Lisa flung herself through the door into the arms of Mrs. Hamm. Father Ted lunged for the door and slammed his shoulder into it right before an unknown force bashed against the other side. Mrs. Hamm grasped the child as and attempted to console her as a sharp pain erupted in her breast. She looked down and saw a dark stain growing on her blue dress and jerked the child away. Everyone’s eyes went wide as they saw the scene unfolding before them. Lisa stood smiling; face covered in blood, and began to laugh hysterically. Mrs. Hamm was becoming hysterical as well, as she noticed that one side of her chest had become smaller than the other as a huge chunk had been bitten away by the child.