Why do you have nightmares? And how to get rid of them? The doctor explains

Every person at least once in his life had a terrible paradoxical dream. As a rule, this happens infrequently and is quickly forgotten, but what if nightmares torment every night and interfere with life? Lenta.ru figured out where frightening dreams come from and asked the somnologist and candidate of medical sciences Irina Zavalko to explain at what point it is worth going to the doctor.

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1. What are nightmares?

“A nightmare is a disease in which a person in a dream feels as if a great burden has fallen on him,” such a definition of a nightmare appeared in the Universal Etymological Dictionary of the English Language, published in 1721, and was in use until the 19th century. Now, according to the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10), nightmares are defined as disturbing dreams that cause panic and fear and are remembered in detail.

Once a month
the average frequency of nightmares

According to MD and science journalist Navid Saleh, an average of one in 20 people around the world have nightmares every week. In people with mental health problems, the ratio is much higher, with nightmares affecting 75 percent of people with PTSD and about 50 percent of those with borderline personality disorder.

Any dreams, including nightmares, dream in the so-called phase of REM sleep.

REM sleep occurs about an hour and a half after falling asleep and then repeats several times a night. REM sleep is characterized by increased activity of the brain and a decrease in the motor abilities of the body - which is why during a nightmare a person often overtakes a feeling of paralysis and helplessness.

In order not to confuse a nightmare with other sleep disorders (apnea, insomnia, night terrors), you can focus on the signs that stand out to characterize a nightmare in the ICD-10.

2. Nightmare signs:

Awakening from sleep or drowsiness, a person remembers in detail and can vividly reproduce a dream;
usually, the plot of a nightmare involves a threat to life or safety;
after waking up, a person quickly becomes alert and begins to navigate in space;
nightmares are accompanied by feelings of distress and anxiety.

Why do people have nightmares?

“There are no unambiguously established reasons why people have dreams and nightmares,” says somnologist Irina Zavalko.

One of the most common theories is that, in general, dreams are the work of our subconscious, which shifts questions that concern us into symbolic forms. Accordingly, nightmares occur if a person is stressed, or worried about some unresolved problem or an upcoming exciting event.

Irina Zavalko
somnologist

The expert adds that external discomfort can also affect the plot of a dream - the high temperature in the room, sharp loud sounds, and bodily sensations: for example, if a person has a leg ache, there may also be problems with it in a dream, often even exaggerated. “Nightmares can also come from what we see, hear, and read during the day,” Zavalko notes. “This can include both news and a snippet of conversation that you accidentally heard.”

Frightening dreams, in addition to these reasons, can be triggered by several other factors, says clinical psychologist Olga Khanova.

Causes of nightmares

1. Taking certain medications

Some drugs (antidepressants, antihypertensives, antibiotics) change the biochemical processes in the brain, thereby affecting the blood supply and the activity of neurotransmitters.

2. Increased body temperature

When thermoregulation deteriorates, it also affects brain activity. That is why nightmares often occur during illness, with viral infections and inflammations.

3. Large meal before bed

Eating fatty and spicy foods, as well as foods containing a large number of chemical additives, disrupts the sleep cycle, making it intermittent.

3.

4. Drinking alcohol

Ethyl alcohol, which is contained in alcohol, reduces the transition time from one sleep phase to another. As a result, this person may be tormented by nightmares, especially vivid and hallucinatory ones.

5. Hypoglycemia

Low blood sugar also provokes frightening night vision, so patients with diabetes should be especially careful.

6. Pregnancy

Fluctuations in hormone levels affect the entire nervous system. In addition, women tend to worry about the upcoming birth and motherhood, which can cause disturbing dreams.

Why are nightmares dangerous?

According to Irina Zavalko, if nightmares do not torment a person regularly, and their plots are not repeated, this is not considered a deviation from the norm.

It is assumed that our subconscious, with the help of dreams, is trying to work out scenarios of possible problems in order to learn how to solve them in advance.

Irina Zavalko
somnologist

However, if nightmares come every night and throw a person out of balance for a long time, this can affect daily life and cause additional problems.

Consequences of frequent and painful nightmares:

excessive daytime sleepiness, which can lead to difficulties in school or work, as well as a violation of the general concentration of attention, which is especially dangerous for motorists;

Increased anxiety, depression, and panic attacks due to frightening dream plots;
unwillingness to fall asleep due to fear of another terrible dream;
suicidal thoughts.

How to get rid of nightmares?

If disturbing dreams began to torment you recently and irregularly, you can try to cope with them on your own - this does not require medical intervention.

Ways to beat nightmares

Find your relaxation technique. This could be meditation, yoga, walking or other physical exercise, a hot bath before bed, and so on. The main thing is that at this time you can relax as comfortably and calmly as possible from the events of the past day.

Have a small snack before bed. An empty stomach is just as harmful to healthy sleep as a full one, so make sure that in the evening the body gets some protein, but not carbohydrates. You can eat, for example, two hard-boiled eggs, or some meat, fish or cheese.

Stick to your schedule. Keeping a regular sleep schedule throughout the week plays an important role in health, helps you get enough sleep and, as a result, avoid nightmares. Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day and try to get seven to eight hours of sleep each night. Put your phone and laptop away an hour before bed and read a little instead to help you fall asleep more easily.

Try to come up with a different plot for your nightmare. We do not always remember dreams, even if we emotionally or physically react to them. To calm down after waking up, psychologists recommend coming up with a happier scenario for your sleep. For example, if a person dreamed that he was running away from a criminal along a dark path, then he needs to convince himself that then he turned into a quiet place, and his beloved dog was actually running after him.

4. Keep a diary. Putting emotions and fears on paper will help you stop thinking about them while falling asleep.

Avoid scary things. Knowing that horror movies, thrillers, and reading crime news can lead to nightmares, it's best not to tease your nervous system and overload it with violent content.

However, in some situations, these funds may not be enough. “I recommend seeing a doctor in two cases,” explains Irina Zavalko. - First, if a person sees frequent nightmares with a recurring plot, then he will most likely need a psychiatrist who will recommend psychotherapy. If, in addition to disturbing dreams, a person also notices manifestations of insomnia, restless superficial sleep, which may hide breathing disorders in sleep, discomfort in the arms or legs, strange movements, snoring, convulsions, incontinence, then you should seek advice from a somnologist or neurologist."

In psychotherapy, it will be possible to discuss the plots of your dreams and work out fears without resorting to drugs.

Irina Zavalko
somnologist

However, sometimes medication is required. Irina Zavalko notes that it is possible to suppress the nightmares themselves with the help of psychoactive drugs. But most often in such situations, it is necessary to look for exactly the reason why a person is not let go of terrible dreams.

How to help a child suffering from nightmares?

As a rule, the first nightmares appear in preschoolers at the age of 3-6 years and reach their peak by 10-12 years. Often, the occurrence of terrible dreams in children is affected by an unstable emotional situation in the family, stress at school, and problems communicating with peers. To resolve the issue of going to the doctor, you need to focus on the same indicators as in adults: the frequency of dreams, plots, and additional symptoms.

Usually, art therapy methods work well with children who have nightmares,” says Irina Zavalko. - For example, a child first draws a monster that scares him in a dream, and then makes him cute - draws flowers or a smile on him or comes up with a funny situation in which the same monster looks angry because he doesn’t want to brush his teeth or because he is so funny someone

Irina Zavalko
somnologist

How to calm a child if he woke up from a nightmare:

Be patient and calm, sit nearby, stroke the child, and wait until he falls asleep if he asks for it;
talk about the dream, ask the child to describe it, and find out what exactly scared the baby. Be sure to remind your child that nightmares are not real and cannot cause harm;

Create a comfortable environment, allow the child to sleep with his favorite plush toy, and leave his door open so that he does not feel lonely;
use a night light if the child doesn't mind. So, if he wakes up at night, the light can calm him down.
Frightening dreams are unpleasant, but in some cases, nightmares can be indicators of more serious problems and indicate them in time.