A nightmare, when technically defined, is a dream that causes the dreamer to feel strong and mostly unpleasant emotions. Often these sleeping nightmares cause feelings of fear and/or horror and can often cause the dreamer to feel pain sensations, drowning, falling and death. What causes nightmares? There are several reasons that nightmares occur and this article will take a look at some of them.
Sometimes a person will have nightmares when they are sick and experiencing a high fever. A fever can wreak havoc in a person's subconscious, especially when the person is asleep. High fevers are the number one physical reason for sleeping nightmares. Older cultures used to believe that eating the wrong food or digestive problems could cause nightmares. Some medications have also been known to induce nightmares.
There are some cultures that believe nightmares are the work of demons, specifically the incubi or the hag, which would sit on the chest of the person sleeping and infect the person's dreams. Nightmares have also been attributed to spiritual possession or magic.
Usually, though, psychological issues are what cause nightmares. If a person experiences a trauma or is very afraid of something, she could have nightmares that force her to relive the trauma or give her an encounter with what she fears as a way of forcing her to face what has happened (or what she is afraid will happen) and deal with the situation and its aftermath.
How to Get Rid of Sleeping Nightmares
The best way to get rid of sleeping nightmares is to know what causes nightmares. Think about the nightmare you have just had. If it helps, write down all of the details. Now, look at the details you remember and think about what those details could be symbolizing from your waking life. Sometimes this is easy—you have a nightmare about the exact thing you are afraid of, and other times you might need the help of a dream dictionary or even a psychologist to help you figure out what your dream means. Once you figure out what your nightmare means, you can deal with that in your waking life. The best cure for sleeping nightmares is to address what causes nightmares in your “real” life.
If you have been through a trauma and are experiencing recurring dreams about that trauma, you should seek the help of a psychologist to work through what causes nightmares for you. You might need some therapy to work through the emotions you have about what has happened. Often, the simple act of talking about a nightmare is enough to keep the nightmare from recurring. Sometimes, though, you might need some expert advice and guidance in working through your nightmares and getting back to your regular life.
Everybody has nightmares—often they are the way our subconscious forces us to deal with things. Knowing what causes nightmares is usually your best defense against having more sleeping nightmares and, instead, having a peaceful night's sleep.
Difficulty Sleeping Tip #1
Caffeine is only your friend during the morning hours. Even though you might not think that caffeine affects you very much, it does play a big part in your body's ability to settle down and rest at the end of the day. If you must have coffee, switch to decaf after lunch. Caffeine can affect your body for up to eight hours. The longer it has to leave your system the less likely it is to affect your sleeping habits. |
Difficulty Sleeping Tip #2
Exercise will not wear you out; it will actually pump you up. Exercise actually gives people energy. While you might feel tired immediately after a workout, your body will not sleep well if you try to do your workout right before bed. It is also bad for your body as a rule to go from lots of motion to staying still. This is why there are warm ups and cool downs before and after exercise workouts. |
Difficulty Sleeping Tip #3
While many of us may fall asleep while watching television, if you are having sleeping problems, you want to give yourself at least an hour before going to bed that is television free. Television is a stimulant for your brain (even if the material is not particularly scholarly in content). Watching it right before bed keeps you awake and it takes a while for your brain to wind down after you turn the television off. |
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