How to avoid having nightmares? It’s been happening to me for many years, but much longer now. They are very intense and elaborate dreams, they look like movies. Sometimes certain themes are repeated. Sometimes it is difficult for me to get out of the dream, or I return to it
Ann
— reader of elDiario.es
The first thing we must understand is what dreams are and, specifically, what nightmares are, if we want to have any influence on their content or intensity. Throughout history, dreams have been interpreted in very diverse ways. For the Egyptian and Mesopotamian culture they were messages from the gods or prophecies. In the Middle Ages, divine inspiration or demonic possessions. For Freud, dreams were expressions of repressed desires of the unconscious.
Why do we dream
Today, thanks to advances in neurology, we know that dreams are part of the ‘maintenance’ of the brain, something similar to when our computer’s operating system takes the opportunity to defragment the hard drive and install antivirus when we are not using it. Dreams, including nightmares, serve important functions related to memory consolidation and emotional regulation.
They occur mainly during the so-called REM phase of the sleep cycle (rapid eye movements). In this state, the brain secretes glycine, an inhibitory neurotransmitter, and also gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which block motor neurons in the spinal cord and cause muscle paralysis. This prevents our body from reproducing dream movements, something potentially dangerous, especially in the case of nightmares.
In general, dreams serve for the brain to process and reorganize information acquired during the day. This involves reinforcing connections that are relevant or useful, and eliminating those that are not useful. In this process, it seems that the brain makes simulations of different scenarios, combining previous experiences and possible outcomes, and dreams result from that inner ‘theater’.
Today we know that dreams are part of the ‘maintenance’ of the brain, something similar to when the operating system of our computer takes the opportunity to defragment the hard drive and install antivirus when we are not using it.
A recent article published in Nature corroborates that “we dream to forget”, that is, that during dreams there is a sifting of memories and associations that we no longer need. That is why dreams are necessary for the consolidation of declarative and emotional memory. They help us integrate past experiences and prepare for future situations.
According to a study directed by Dr. Mathew Walker, author of why we sleep (edited in Spain by Captain Swing), REM sleep reduces the emotional burden associated with difficult memories, as it allows those emotions to be processed again without the intensity associated with the original experience. This makes dreams become “night therapy,” in the words of the authors. On the contrary, according to another analysis published in Brain and Cognitionpeople who have less REM sleep, and therefore dream less, have more difficulty regulating their emotions, recognizing emotions in others, and controlling their behavior.
Dreams and nightmares
According to a analysis published by The Lancet, there is a difference between a bad dream, defined as “a vivid and disturbing dream that involves intense negative emotions, often anxiety and fear, and does not cause awakening, also called dysphoric dream” and a nightmare, which is a dysphoric dream that is remembered, which includes “a theme that threatens survival, safety, physical integrity, or self-esteem, and that causes an awakening.”
According to the neurologist specialized in sleep Oscar Larrosa“nightmares are a sign that something is not working well in our psychological health, it may be momentarily or in the longer term,” he explains.
Although the exact mechanism is not yet known, nightmares produce an activation of the amygdala, the brain region associated with fear processing, along with a decrease in the activity of the prefrontal cortex, which limits the ability to rationalize what is happening. It happens in the dream. In a experiment 2019 published in Cortex, with patients who suffered from a rare disease that disabled the amygdala, it was found that their dreams were more pleasant.
Nightmares are a sign that something is not working well in our psychological health, it may be momentary or in the longer term.
Oscar Larrosa
— sleep neurologist
Unlike common dreams, which are more random in nature, nightmares are usually related to stress, trauma, or disturbances in emotional balance. As a study from the University of Heidelberg found, during nightmares there is a physiological response that can be measured, such as increased heart rate, sweating, and cortisol levels.
The origin of nightmares seems to lie in experiences experienced while we are awake and physical or psychological disorders. In the most serious cases, they are associated with sleep disorders, heart problems, chronic fatigue and high levels of anxiety. In a vicious circle, nightmares can aggravate these disorders. There are also differences by sex. According to a study from the University of Ferrara (Italy), nightmares are more common in women, and are often associated with sleep disorders and even psychiatric disorders, such as depression or anxiety, from which women also suffer to a greater extent.
One of the most widespread myths is that certain foods, such as spicy foods, can cause nightmares. For Dr. Óscar Larrosa, “there is no reliable evidence that this is true. The only thing proven is that eating just before going to sleep, especially if it is a heavy meal, can favor them, as well as medical problems or food intolerances. Also alcohol, addictive toxic substances and certain medications.”
How to avoid nightmares
Perhaps the first question is whether we should avoid nightmares. Dr. Larrosa makes a distinction: “Real nightmares do not provide anything positive if they are distressing, unpleasant dreams that wake us up with a feeling of shock or fear, accelerated heart rate, sweating, and with the content of the dream very present, “He remembers perfectly,” he explains.
On the contrary, “they should not be confused with vivid dreams, unpleasant or strange dreams, but they do not wake us up, and afterwards they are not remembered as much. These are necessary for the organization of the mind during normal dream activity. They are not so worrying in children, who frequently have them, because their nervous system and sleep mechanisms are still immature,” clarifies the neurologist.
Nightmares should not be confused with vivid dreams, unpleasant or strange dreams, but which do not wake us up, and are not remembered as much afterwards. These are necessary for the organization of the mind during normal dream activity.
Oscar Larrosa
— sleep neurologist
To avoid nightmares it is important to take care of both sleep and wakefulness. As Larrosa explains, “the only useful prevention is good sleep hygiene and good sleeping habits. Also take care of and treat mental health problems and sleep disorders if they exist.”
Sleep hygiene includes factors such as regular sleeping and waking times, avoiding screens, overeating and stimulating activities before going to bed, having a dark, cool and quiet bedroom, and also avoiding alcohol consumption. and caffeine before bed. Additionally, practicing relaxation techniques, such as meditation or deep breathing, have proven to be effective in reducing stress levels associated with distressing dreams, as shown in a study. revision of studies in Brain Sciences.
“Having a sporadic nightmare is not worrying,” recalls Dr. Larrosa. “But if they are frequent, chronic, alter the quality of sleep and worry us, they already constitute a nightmare disorder, linked to mood disturbances and stress and anxiety, including post-traumatic stress. Nightmare disorder is a problem that must be addressed,” he concludes.
*Darío Pescador is editor and director of the Quo magazine and author of the book your best self Posted by Oberon.
#avoid #nightmares #intense
