Nightmares in Adults

Nightmares are unpleasant or terrifying dreams that are common in children as well as adults. Such dreams are often accompanied by fear that cannot be escaped, distress and anxiety that results in the awakening of the sleeper. Nightmares are milder forms of night terrors, the only difference being that a nightmare can be recalled but night terrors cannot be recalled. Also, the anxiety and fright levels associated with bad dreams are quite less as compared to night terrors. At times, they could even be recurring dreams, which may occur on a daily basis or after an interval of certain days.

Nightmares

Nightmares is known to affect almost 5% to 8% of all adults and is known to be more common in women than in men. These bad dreams are experienced during the phase of sleep known as the Rapid Eye Movement (REM), during which all dreams are experienced. They are vivid and realistic, cause rapid beating of the heart and sometimes even force the sleeper to awaken half way through the bad dream. Most are even considered to be a natural process through which the sub-conscious mind is cleared. It tends to become a problem when sleep is disturbed and when it occurs too frequently, causing a great deal of distress and discomfort to the sleeper. To know how to get rid of them, it is essential to first establish the cause or reason behind the nightmare.

Causes

There can be innumerable causes of nightmares ranging from a traumatic experience to repressed emotions. It is considered to be natural as it helps free the sub-conscious mind of accumulated fears and anxieties that may not be done consciously by the person.

Stress: Stress plays an important role in the development of nightmares, especially in the recurring ones. Stress caused due to daily activities, tension and anxiety often burden up the mind of a person, which is released from the sub conscious mind.

Traumatic Experiences: Most people who have undergone a traumatic event or experience at any point in their lives are prone to experiencing post traumatic nightmares. These traumatic events may include episodes of sexual abuse, a natural disaster, an accident or the loss of a loved one. What they visualize in their dreams is quite similar to what they have experienced.

Medical Conditions: Certain medical conditions like schizophrenia, Alzheimer's, psychotic depression, seizures, sleep paralysis and bipolar disorders can cause nightmares in people suffering from them.

Medications: Certain medications and substances are known to lead to the development of bad dreams. Consumption of alcohol and substances like marijuana are known to be common causes.

How to Stop Nightmares

The course of action that needs to be adopted to get rid of nightmares would largely depend upon the causes of bad dreams. For those dreams that are a result of medical conditions or consumption of medications, the medication should be stopped and the medical condition will need to be treated to get rid of them. For nightmares that are caused as a result of post traumatic stress, coping with the traumatic event is extremely essential. Therapies, counseling and reassurance from family members can be of great help for this purpose. Relaxation techniques like yoga exercises, meditation and deep breathing exercises can also be practiced. For stress related nightmares, eliminating stress is the only way of stopping nightmares. Listening to some soothing music and indulging in a hot bath before going to bed is a good way of relaxing and keeping away nightmares. Do not watch horror or violent movies, drink or smoke before going to bed.

Nightmares that are occasional should be shared with a friend or family member and forgotten as they are absolutely normal. Frequent, recurring and terrifying bad dreams need to be treated by a dream analyst and consultation with a psychologist who could help you deal with the problem.