Sleep Disturbances: Deciphering Nightmares and Night Terrors' Significance
In the eerie setting of a shopping mall smack-dab in the middle of a swamp, you're knee-deep in squished marsh muck, with a moss-covered cypress standing proudly before the Old Navy door. The place is so abandoned that it resembles the set of a zombie apocalypse movie on $1 flip-flop day. You're eager to leave, and a deserted parking lot teases you through the mist – yet you never get any closer no matter how far you trudge.
In the gloom, you can feel the distant shuffle of the undead, slowly closing in... You squint and realize the horde is lumbering toward you at a faster pace, and the safety of your car remains another soul-crushing stretch away. You wake up with an abrupt gasp, your heart pounding, but then breathe a sigh of relief. Just a dream.
Now welcome to the topsy-turvy world of nightmares, an intriguing blend of fear and humor that keeps you on edge. Let's delve into the strange realm of dreams, understand their root causes, and snag some relief.
What exactly are nightmares?
To shed some light on the mystery, we pestered sleep guru Dr. Alex Dimitriu, a double-board certified psychiatrist and sleep expert, with a barrage of questions.
Simply put, nightmares are simply unpleasant dreams. There's no hard and fast rule for what constitutes a nightmare, as the definition can vary from person to person: one might deem an embarrassing dream a nightmare, while someone else might brush it off as just another weird dream. But if a dream leaves you feeling uncomfortable, it's probably a nightmare.
According to Dr. Dimitriu, "The brain is actually awake during REM sleep, and the body is intentionally paralyzed." During this stage, the brain processes memories, rehashes past events, and rehearses potential future scenarios – tasks that can result in dreams that range from pleasant to downright bizarre.
So why are they so wild sometimes?
"During REM sleep, the brain experiments with new connections," Dr. Dimitriu explains. This is why dreams might seem random and surreal – the brain is free to exercise its imagination without constraints.
What fuels nightmares?
Some research suggests that most people experience occasional nightmares. But if the bedroom boogeymen become regular visitors, there might be an underlying issue to address. So let's talk boogeymen – what reasons might lead you to grapple with dreams that'd make Ichabod Crane quiver in his boots?
According to Dr. Dimitriu, stress is one of the top triggers for nightmares. "Nightmares can be stress dreams," he asserts, "signalizing high levels of daily stress." Sleep apnea, where the airway is obstructed during sleep, can also give rise to dreams of suffocating, drowning, or asphyxiation – so, fair warning, if you've been putting off that sleep study, now's the time to stop procrastinating.
What do nightmares mean?
Let's clear up the myths: can they reveal hidden truths or foreshadow events in your life? Maybe there is some truth in there, to some extent.
While recurring nightmares might have common themes, it's not necessarily that they hold any deeper meaning or are predictive. Instead, they represent the far-from-perfect aspects of the human experience. Some frequently occurring nightmare tropes include:
- stumbling nervously through a speech in your skivvies
- a glitchy phone that malfunctions at a critical moment
- being trapped in a confined space with no escape
- the terrifying sensation of being chased
- experiencing an attack on your person
- becoming paralyzed
- constantly running late for something important
- suffering injury, death, or temporary disfigurement, such as losing teeth
- a dear one mysteriously vanishing without a trace
- getting involved in an awful accident or natural disaster
- encountering sinister forces like vampires, zombies, or ghosts
As Dr. Dimitriu explained, remember that during REM sleep, the brain is processing memories, reconstructing past incidents, and rehearsing potential future scenarios. If there's a concern or fear that's gnawing at your waking thoughts, it's only natural for it to surface in your dreams.
When nightmares metastasize into night terrors and sleep paralysis
Let's discuss sleep's shadowy counterparts: night terrors and sleep paralysis.
Night terrors occur as you awaken suddenly, struck by terror and incapable of remaining calm. You might sit up in bed, break into a scream or burst into tears, or start shaking – these are common symptoms of night terrors. Mostly affecting children but also afflicting adults, they are classified as parasomnias (abnormal behaviors during sleep) – similar to sleepwalking.
Sleep paralysis is another chilling experience. During sleep paralysis, you feel fully conscious, but totally helpless – like something (or someone) is pinning you down or sitting on your chest. This strange sensation happens when your body transitions from wakefulness to sleep – your entire body drifts off to sleep, but your brain lingers in a hazy, semi-awake state. Oddly enough, some research links sleep paralysis with PTSD and panic disorders.
A shiver down your spine, you ask? We'll steer clear of informing you that this paralyzing state often goes hand in hand with hallucinations – but hey, we don't want to spoil your night's rest too much, now do we?
The impact of nightmares on our mental health
Infrequent nightmares are normal and have minimal effect on your daily life, but recurring nightmares can take a hefty toll on your physical and emotional well-being. Severe cases may cause:
- chronic stress
- sleep disorders
- exhaustion
- excessive anxiety
- an intense fear of snoozing (yes, nightmares can be a sleep aversion disorder)
- sleep deprivation
- compromised cognition
Regular nightmares also pose a menace to individuals with pre-existing mental health conditions, such as depression or anxiety disorders. For example, one study has shown that nightmares can exacerbate PTSD symptoms and accelerate the condition’s development.
How to reinstate shut-eye after a harrowing nightmare
Take a deep breath and let go of the nightmare, then try to roll over and doze off again rather than fixating on the dream's details.
If you're into lucid dreaming – where you know you're dreaming and can control the dream – it may help you exert some control over the scene and alleviate the fear. (Yes, this might remind you of the "Inception" plot, but believe us; mastering lucid dreaming is a whole different challenge.) Dive into the lucid dreaming community on Reddit if you're ready to embark on that journey.
Real-life nightmares from Greatist editors
We managed to persuade a few of our editors to keep a dream journal for a couple of weeks. Here are a few of the nightmares they shared with us – proof that humans have shared, if twisted, unconscious concerns.
- "I took a long, penetrating look into the mirror and noticed my eyes had dramatically different colors: one pale blue like glacial ice and another drained of its color. A piece of thread dangled from the inner corner of the voided eye and, as I pulled it, I unraveled a long strand from my temple." – Ashley Sepanski, Senior Editor
- "I was on an old ship that was lost at sea, and I had to find my crew and finish an expedition. Somehow, Ryan Reynolds was the ship's captain – and no one questioned it. It was dark, sketchy, and stormy, and at one point, we encountered giant whales." – Carley Millhone, Editor
- "I wore a wooden engagement ring that was way too large for my finger. I had to keep washing my hands for some reason, fearing the ring would slide down the drain. Many around me shouted their displeasure as I scrubbed frantically." – Ruby Thompson, Market Editor
TL;DR
According to Dr. Dimitriu, nightmares are fascinating hallucinations influenced by factors like stress, trauma, mental health issues, and sleep disturbances. Addressing these underlying factors and adopting a consistent sleep schedule, calming bedtime rituals, and stress management techniques can help alleviate the frequency of nightmares. If nightmares persist or are associated with serious psychological issues, seek professional help.
Sweet dreams!
- Nightmares, as explained by Dr. Dimitriu, are simply unpleasant dreams that can range from non-threatening to downright bizarre, with no clear definition for everyone.
- During REM sleep, the brain processes memories and rehashes past events, leading to dreams that may seem random and surreal due to the brain's experimentation with new connections.
- Stress is one of the top triggers for nightmares, as high levels of daily stress can manifest in dream form.
- Nightmares, while they might not hold deeper meanings or foreshadow events in our lives, can reveal concerns or fears that are gnawing at our waking thoughts. Common themes in recurring nightmares include feeling trapped, being chased, suffering injury, experiencing an attack on one's person, and encountering sinister forces.
