They appear at any time during our sleep, affecting young and old and generating a great chain of negative emotions. Nightmares are very common in our society. And even many people say they experience them regularly during their nights. What they owe? What are they telling us? Is it possible to avoid the dream of nightmares?
Nightmares: recurring dreams in the population
Surely, we have ever experienced a nightmare while we sleep. Having remembered her when she woke up, possibly, will have marked our entire day. Nightmares are dreams whose stories are loaded with fear and/or terror, which appear in our dreams from time to time. Depending on our habitual experiences, they can remain isolated dreams or become recurring. The truth is that a single nightmare can significantly limit our day, fearing that the dream will come true and/or the triggering thoughts that it can produce.
We will talk about all this below in order to offer you the necessary information that allows you to understand why they occur, what they mean and how we can avoid them. Keep reading and benefit from this information!
The nigthmares. What are they?
Nightmares are very disturbing mental images that our brain produces when we are asleep. Generally they spin a story that is not real, in which the actions that take place generate anxiety and fear. In them, well-known characters (feared or not in real life) may appear, as well as strangers and/or elements with a great aggressive emotional charge. During its course, the person experiences negative and very distressing sensations. These sensations can become so strong that they promote awakening. If the nightmare is remembered, it can trigger negative conscious emotions that can accompany us during the next hours of the day.
Nightmares were useful during prehistory. They taught people how to act in the face of danger, thus favoring survival. Currently, the real hazards that existed before do not exist, so they lack this instructional value.
Should I worry too much if I have them?
Generally not. As long as the nightmares occur in isolation. Now, if in any season we notice that they become frequent, we must attend to what causes it.
In this sense, dreams are closely linked to the personal experiences of our day to day, as well as our emotions and fears. If they become habitual, we will have to investigate what they are trying to tell us in order to solve it. Only then will we stop having recurring and habitual nightmares, which will improve our quality of life.
What usually triggers nightmares?
If the nightmares become recurring, we must attend to those factors that trigger them. Identifying which of them we are experiencing will be very useful to work on their motives.
Times of stress and anxiety
One of the factors that may be triggering recurring nightmares are times of stress and anxiety. These emotions are associated with different sources. Labor problems (too much stress, high volume of work, possibility and/or fear of dismissal); personal problems (separations and/or divorces, deaths of close friends, events that cause major restructuring). All this may be causing moments of stress and anxiety. This may be the source of the nightmares.
Sleeping problems
Those who suffer from insomnia, do not get enough sleep, or do not maintain a sleep routine are more likely to experience nightmares. It usually happens in sleep disorders, or when work demands frequent sleep restructuring. As far as possible, it will be necessary to re-establish a healthy sleep in order to say goodbye to nightmares for a long time.
Post-traumatic disorders
When we experience a traumatic situation, our mind generates images related to what happened during several moments. Sleepy moments are some of them. Nightmares in trauma are clear, perfectly memorable and very limiting. They remind us of what happened over and over again. That is why recurring nightmares are a resource used by professionals to diagnose disorders related to acquired trauma. Treating the trauma will be the most effective way to avoid experiencing these nightmares.
Alcohol and drug abuse, and absence of them in case of addiction
Some substances, if taken in an abusive way, can produce nightmares. Cannabis is one of them. It is common for people who consume it regularly to experience these types of disturbing dreams.
In addition, they are also quite common in detoxification processes, as well as in addiction treatments. In these cases, dreaming of a relapse can be experienced as a nightmare, although they can also cause nightmares whose history has little (or nothing) to do with the substance or the addictive process.
Medicines
Finally, nightmares can be the result of side effects of some medications. This is the case of beta-blockers, antidepressants, and/or those indicated for smoking cessation.
How can I avoid them?
Avoiding nightmares can be a bit tricky, as they usually occur on a real basis. One of the most recommended ways to say goodbye to them is by treating their base.
Taking this factor into account, we can follow the following tips to avoid nightmares:
- Perform relaxation before bed: Control breathing, stretch muscles and/or avoid watching television just before bed.
- Follow a regular sleep schedule.
- Avoid taking drugs and/or drugs, as well as stimulating drinks during the hours before the night.
- Get a quiet, calm and pleasant environment to sleep.
If you want to know more about how to avoid nightmares, we invite you to read our article about it.
Nightmares, therefore, mean that we must attend to our concerns and/or processes to detect possible mental and/or environmental problems that are happening around us. Solving them will be the most effective way to get rid of these disturbing dreams.