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How to get rid of nightmares using folk remedies. How to get rid of nightmares in your sleep? Preventing Nightmares

Have you ever woken up in the middle of the night, relieved to realize that everything scary and terrible you just experienced was just a nightmare?

Nightmares and fears

Nightmares should be distinguished from night terrors (fears). A nightmare is a scary dream that occurs during REM sleep, occurring most often in the morning hours.

Despite the absurdity of the plot and the absurdity of the situation, such dreams are so realistic that they seem to be really happening.

They are very rarely accompanied by physiological reactions in the form of increased breathing and heart rate or increased sweating. A person who wakes up usually remembers the content of the dream.

The situation is different with night terrors or fears. They arise in delta sleep, the deepest phase of sleep, and therefore appear during the first hours of rest. Night terrors are characterized by the absence of any pictures or images; at its core, night terror is a short and relatively simple dream.

The duration of a night terror can range from one to several minutes. It is often accompanied by pronounced reactions of the body: trembling, rapid heartbeat and motor movements.

It is very difficult to wake up a person and talk to him at this moment, calming him down, since he simply does not notice the presence of other people. After some time, he falls asleep, and in the morning he cannot remember anything about what happened to him at night.

Causes of night fears and nightmares

It is difficult to pinpoint the exact cause of a nightmare; most often, terrible dreams arise from acute psychological experiences caused by illness or the loss of a loved one, a serious illness, a complex medical operation, a car accident, a change or loss of a job.

They are often the result of anxiety, prolonged depression or an unresolved psychological problem.

Sometimes the cause of a nightmare can be restless leg syndrome or. The predisposition to nightmares is often inherited at the genetic level.

Night terrors in children are very rarely signs of deep psychological problems; in most cases they are observed during periods of life that are extremely rich in new impressions, emotions and experiences.

Most often they occur during trips and trips, visits to entertainment events, their cause can even be a banal overnight stay at a party, sanatorium or boarding house.

A completely different reason for night terrors in adults. Night terrors are an alarm bell warning that something is wrong with the nervous system. Their causes, in addition to an aggressive state, anxiety or agitation, can be serious changes in the state of a person’s mental health.

Getting rid of nightmares and fears

Frequently recurring nightmares and horrors require serious attention from a psychotherapist.

Even a simple discussion with a specialist about your nightly dreams and life problems will help you gain a sense of confidence and forget about nightmares, if not forever, then for a fairly long period.

If necessary, the doctor will help you select the necessary doses of tranquilizers that will help get rid of post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and panic.

Consult your doctor about the medications you are taking. Some antihypertensive and hypertensive drugs, in addition to correcting blood pressure, may increase the likelihood of nightmares. The same applies to antidepressants.

If night terrors and nightmares are not systemic in nature and appear quite rarely, it makes sense to reconsider your daily routine and lifestyle, giving up late snacks and night trips to the refrigerator, doing physical exercise, yoga, etc.

Spend the evening with your family or with a loved one, read, do crafts, watch calm TV shows or movies.

A warm shower or bath taken before bed will allow you to relax after a busy day, find peace and tranquility. Create a cozy and relaxing atmosphere in your bedroom. The room where you sleep should be fresh, comfortable and quiet.

Avoid or minimize your intake of nicotine and caffeine. When falling asleep, imagine a pleasant and calm picture of a natural landscape, add sounds and smells to the visual images. Think only about good things.

Sweet Dreams! Be always healthy!

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Suddenly appearing, nightmares envelop a person’s soul in a net of fear. Immediately after sleep, the sleeper cannot come to his senses for 2-4 minutes, thinking “Where is the dream, and where is reality?” This problem is irrelevant if horrors appear rarely. But when terrible dreams are constant, a person begins to think, “How to get rid of nightmares?”

Most often, terrible images appear during REM sleep. This phase lasts from 2 minutes to 30 minutes and ends, as a rule, with the person waking up. At first he is frightened, his eyes are wide open, his body is covered with sweat, his heart is beating wildly. A person experiences pain, which gradually returns to normal. Scary pictures do not remain in the memory, but the feeling of horror and painful fear is fixed for a long time. How to get rid of this problem and when should you consult a doctor? Let's try to find answers.

Who has nightmares?

Many people believe that nightmares are the prerogative of children. Statistics prove that children in adolescence and adults experience. Moreover, 50% of adults experience terrible visions during sleep. It is estimated that between 2 and 8 percent of adults suffer from recurrent nightmares. For some it has become a chronic pathology.

During night vision, a person is visited by scary pictures, he experiences strong emotions that make the heart work 2-3 times faster. Sometimes the pictures are so vivid and real that a person wakes up and does not understand where is a dream and where is reality. Images remain in the memory for a long time, making a person shudder every time he remembers.

This leads to mental breakdowns, stress, and physical fatigue.

Differences between nightmares and horrors

Nightmares are compared to horror, although these are 2 types of irritants.

Horrors are visions characteristic of the deep sleep phase. Night terrors occur within the first 120 minutes of sleep. A person experiences an indescribable feeling of fear at this time. Some horrors are characterized by movement. A person’s arm and leg may twitch, all muscles may tremble. awaken and force a person to experience a strong shock in reality.
Nightmares occur during the REM sleep phase, closer to the morning. A person does not know how to get rid of nightmares, because they are disturbing dreams with terrible pictures. They differ in the reality of what is happening. Each person sees his own images, but most often these are traumatic events that happened in real life.

Sources of Night Terrors

In adults, terrifying dreams often appear spontaneously. But often they become the result of psychological trauma (depression or anxiety).

Remember what negative moments you experienced. Maybe you lost your job, your child or loved one got sick, or you are about to undergo surgery. If such events took place in your life, then you should not think about how to get rid of nightmares in your sleep. They will leave along with the traumatic situation.

In such cases, you should consult a doctor.

Other sources of nightmares:

Overeating before bed. The routine of modern man assumes that dinner is the only complete meal. A person is so hungry after work that he is ready to take a double portion before bed. During sleep, the body digests foods, it becomes difficult to breathe, the heartbeat increases, which causes terrible visions. In this case, it’s up to you to decide how to get rid of nightmares in your sleep. Eat an earlier meal or take a walk before going to bed.

Internal anxiety and worries. Try keeping a diary of scary dreams and previous events. Establish the relationship between events. To understand what scares you in a dream, sketch images and think about what it looks like. Write down all events, regardless of their importance. Re-read the list and highlight the points that really bother you. This way you will understand what causes anxiety not only during the day, but also at night.

Some of these experiences cause symptoms that negatively affect the quality of sleep. Try to distract yourself from problems and relax. Eat on time, go to bed, moderate your work urge. Pay attention to exercise, introduce new foods into your diet. After all, even the strongest body needs rest and variety.

Partially they remain in the subconscious, even if you don’t think about them. At the moment when a person is as relaxed as possible, they make themselves known. To drown them out, try to remember pleasant moments before going to bed, scroll through them in your head and fall asleep in a favorable mood.

Sometimes, to understand how to get rid of night terrors, you need to think about your own secret desires. You suppress and suppress, but dissatisfaction manifests itself in nightmares that come in sleep. Don't force yourself to do something you absolutely don't like.

How to rid yourself of nightmares?

Night terrors and terrible pictures knock a person out of working order and do not allow him to fully rest. If you see them regularly, find a way to get rid of them. In cases where sleep nightmares are the result of restless legs syndrome or breathing apnea, it is necessary to get qualified help. Medication and therapy can also help you get rid of nightmares that result from depression, stress, and post-traumatic stress disorder. The doctor individually prescribes treatment that will eliminate anxiety and panic disorders.

Try to identify the causes of nightmares and eliminate them. Eat no later than 2 hours before bedtime. Eating food can speed up metabolism by sending signals to the brain, causing it to activate. Please note that foods with a lot of sugar have a more intense effect on the subconscious.

If you've been feeling overwhelmed during the day, try doing a few relaxation exercises before bed:

Reading pleasant literature and knitting are simple activities that perfectly calm the nervous system.
- calm exercises help clear thoughts and... Practice at home in the evening. A few minutes are enough to relax.
Hot bath with salt - after a physically and mentally hard day, hot water is great for relaxing. Feel how the negative emotions of the past day are washed away, and your mind is filled with calm thoughts.

Nightmares may result from drug therapy. Consult your doctor if you think this is the source.

Reducing the dose or stopping the drug may cause nightmares at night. The horrors will disappear as soon as the body gets used to the new changes.

Medicines for hypotension or hypertension, and antidepressants can also cause nightmares. Consult your doctor, who will replace the drug with another drug.

A relaxing atmosphere is the key to a restful sleep

Lack of healthy sleep can cause depression and, which leads to nightmares. It turns out to be a vicious circle. Try to break the chain by creating a complete atmosphere for healthy sleep. To do this, create a pleasant aura in the bedroom:

remove things, dust, wipe the floor in a timely manner;
ventilate the room before going to bed;
lay down bed linen, causes a pleasant feeling;
install a white noise generator that will block unfavorable sounds;
Use the bedroom only for relaxation and not for work.

Do physical exercises before bed that will give you pleasant fatigue. Just choose an activity that will bring you joy:

dancing;
charger;
weight-bearing exercises;
walking.

Exercise up to 6 times a week a few hours before bed.

Nicotine, alcohol, and caffeine content excite the brain, preventing good sleep. Reduce or stop using these substances at least 4 hours before bedtime.

For a better association, try writing a script or drawing a favorable ending to a terrible dream.

Encourage pleasant dreams

Tune yourself before bed. Imagine a place where you felt calm: a beach, a forest clearing, a summer cottage. Recreate sounds, smells, colors in your thoughts. Every minute, plunging into the abyss of sleep, think about the good. Imagine yourself as a positive hero: a princess, a super hero, an actor, a traveler. Try to focus on your goals. Imagine how you take a long-awaited position, find a loved one or acquire the figure of your own dreams.

In Europe, it is customary to discuss problems with a psychotherapist. In Russia, the best psychologist is a friend or girlfriend. Talk to them about your nightmares and tell them what's scary about them. Keep a diary and write in detail the images that come to you in your dreams. This will help you look at your fears from the outside.

Find time during the day to relax. Unload your thoughts from negativity, relax to avoid stress.

How to prevent nightmares?

Customize yours: watch comedies, read classic literature. Avoid unpleasant conversations and negative news. Remember the pleasant events of the current day or week. Make plans for the weekend to meet friends or relatives. Avoid thinking about possible unpleasant events that may happen.

Ventilate the room before going to bed. Excessively hot or cold air creates discomfort and leads to nightmares. Remember that nightmares are not real.

Relax and calm down before going to bed, discuss with your loved ones what is tormenting you. A hug from a loved one will definitely help if you are scared. If you've been following these rules for several months and still don't know how to get rid of nightmares, consult a doctor.

March 15, 2014, 10:49

Most often, children between six and ten years old have nightmares. Growing up, 80% of them remember what tormented them in childhood. But adults also suffer from unpleasant dreams: every twentieth person has terrible dreams.

Few people know that in addition to nightmares there is a medical disease "night terror", which often accompanies sleepwalking. With night terror, a person wakes up screaming about half an hour after falling asleep. Often he is in a state between sleep and wakefulness, so the next morning he may not remember anything.

Unlike night terrors, nightmares occur in the second half of sleep, in the rapid phase. If a person is woken up at this moment, he almost always remembers all the details of the dream and can describe them very clearly.

WHY DO YOU HAVE NIGHTMARES?

The question of why nightmares occur, whether they harm a person or, on the contrary, are beneficial, has been known for several centuries.

Today, science is inclined to believe that having bad dreams occasionally is even beneficial, since it is a product of our brain that allows us to deal with stress. Bad dreams can distract from worries, relieve consciousness and thereby lead to psychological relief.

In addition, sometimes nightmares can indicate a real problem in life that we most often do not notice or do not want to notice.

However, if nightmares become a constant occurrence, then there is no need to talk about their positive impact on the human body.

A study by German scientists showed that among adults, falling into emptiness is in the lead, chasing is in second place, followed by being late.

Weak mental health in children

Children often have bad dreams because they have a low sensitivity threshold. The reasons may be quarrels with parents, especially in the evening, lack of friends or poor relationships with peers. Physical punishment can also cause nightmares.

Stress/Depression

Psychologists believe that nightmares and stress are directly related to each other. When a person’s brain is under stress, the subconscious cannot switch to rest mode and continues to look for a way out of the situation even in a dream. Severe emotional shock can also cause nightmares.

Experts identify the term “post-traumatic stress disorder,” which is most often characteristic of people who were in a combat zone. But especially impressionable people experience it even after watching horror films.

Overwork

Physical or emotional fatigue can cause nightmares. The fact is that a person mentally returns to the same problem even during sleep in order to solve it. The risk group includes doctors, employees of rescue services and law enforcement agencies.

Diseases

In addition to psychological problems, nightmares can indicate various physical illnesses. For example, there is a high probability of having a nightmare if you have a fever or migraine.

However, sometimes nightmares indicate serious illnesses, such as cancer. And even breathing problems and snoring can cause bad dreams.

Uncomfortable sleep

Bad dreams can occur when there are external stimuli, such as bright lights, noise, loud music or lack of air. Therefore, before you go to bed, you need to make sure that nothing will disturb you.

Even the wrong position of the bed can cause nightmares.

Binge eating

Overeating at night can also cause nightmares. The fact is that eating a heavy meal before bed leads to disruption of organ function, resulting in overexcitation and bad dreams.

Fatty and spicy foods increase body temperature, speed up metabolism and, accordingly, lead to nightmares.

Creative person

People who are creative have nightmares much more often than others. Psychologists believe that it is creative people who can sometimes see “prophetic” dreams, including nightmares, which serve as a warning.

Pathogens

These include nicotine, caffeine and alcohol. Instead of resting during sleep, the body has to work to remove foreign substances.

Various medications can also cause nightmares, especially when starting to use them.

If you are tired of nightmares, MIR 24 offers five ways to help you cope with them.

MAKE YOUR SLEEP MORE COMFORTABLE

It sounds trivial, but improving the atmosphere in the bedroom can help you cope with nightmares. It should be well-groomed, with a comfortable temperature and without too much light.

To get rid of unpleasant sounds, you can use a noise generator. It is also worth limiting the blue light that comes from computers, smartphones and tablets. It prevents the body from producing the “sleep hormone” melanin. Therefore, do not use gadgets at least two hours before bedtime.

SPORTS AND HOT BATH

You'll sleep best if you've exercised during the day. Exercising fatigue is one way to improve sleep quality. This could be aerobics, fitness, dancing, but the main thing is not to train right before bed, as then your body will be tense and will not be able to calm down to fall asleep.

Take a hot bath right before bed. A sharp drop in temperature afterwards will signal to the brain that it is time to go to bed. And don't eat before bed.

DRUG TREATMENT

If the cause of your unpleasant dreams is stress or depression, then you need to consult a doctor. Often people belonging to this risk group are prescribed the drug Prazosin.

It's also worth talking to your doctor about any medications you're already taking, as drugs that change your blood pressure can cause nightmares.

In addition, bad dreams may occur if the dosage of medications taken has been changed. In this case, they will disappear as the body adapts to the changes.

ENCOURAGING PLEASANT DREAMS

To get rid of nightmares, you need to encourage good dreams. To do this, first imagine the place where you would like to be. After this, slowly falling asleep, start thinking about pleasant events for you. You can imagine an imaginary interlocutor to whom you tell about your dreams, as well as the nightmares that torment you.

But if you still have a bad dream again, try to control the events that happen in it. Once you learn to control your dreams, you will be able to regulate what you dream about.

Ekaterina Degtereva

Sleep paralysis, sleepwalking and nightmares are very interesting conditions that scientists still cannot explain. We don't know what exactly causes them or why they exist. They frighten and make you feel helpless, which is very unpleasant.

If sleep paralysis occurs mainly in adults, nightmares appear in children aged three to eight years. A person may experience fear even if he does not remember what exactly he dreamed about and why his peace was disturbed.

Symptoms of a nightmare: screams, restless movements, panic.

The horror that grips a person is similar to the primeval one. Wildness is often accompanied by the effect of “eyes wide shut”: it seems that a person is looking somewhere and seeing something, but in fact he is still sleeping.

Kamilla Gornia/flickr.com

What causes nightmares

Scientists have been able to describe several triggers that can trigger a bad dream:

sleeping in an unfamiliar place
fever,
stress,
full bladder.

What will help you fall asleep faster and make your sleep more restful?

Research has shown that there are ways to improve your sleep. These techniques do not guarantee relief from nightmares, but they will definitely help minimize the number of such episodes.

Less blue light

Light in the blue part of the spectrum reduces the amount of melatonin produced, a hormone necessary for sleep. This is the light that comes from the screen of a computer, tablet or smartphone. You should try not to use gadgets within two hours before bedtime. Or install special ones that block the blue part of the spectrum and make the screen tint warmer.

Take a hot bath

When you raise your body temperature in a hot bath and then drop it sharply when you go to bed, your body knows it's time to sleep. This simple trick is a good way to fall asleep faster.

Yawn

Your behavior directly affects how you feel. If you smile more often, your mood will lift, and if you yawn, you will feel drowsy. Trick your body by yawning a few times and your eyes will begin to droop.

Act contrary

Do not want ? Great, so be it. Keep your eyes open at all costs. Stay awake with all your might. It's strange, but you will find it terribly tiring, and you will very soon want to sleep.

Clarification: You are not allowed to watch TV, read, or think about anything exciting.

Develop a habit

Train yourself to fall asleep under certain circumstances. For example, with calm music or under the soft light of a night lamp. Your brain will learn to perceive your environment as a signal to sleep, and you will be able to fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly.

How to help someone who is having a nightmare

But even if you eliminate all irritants, nightmares may still occur. Therefore, you should know how to help a person who has a bad dream.

Don't try to wake the person. It is possible that after waking up he will be disoriented and will not recognize you. This will only increase anxiety and stress. Even if this advice goes against your instincts and desire to take care of your loved one, there is no need to wake up and console someone who is having a nightmare.
Distract the awakened person. Otherwise, having fallen asleep again, he may again plunge into an anxious dream. Try to convince your loved one to go to the toilet or just wash their face.

Is it possible to get rid of nightmares forever?

If a child sees nightmares, then most likely this is a temporary phenomenon. As you grow older, bad dreams will dissipate. The only thing that the baby will learn from them is that dreams are not only good.

Adults remember better what happened in a dream. Nightmares for them can be the result of childhood trauma, mental or physical stress.

There is no magic pill for nightmares. Eliminate triggers that can cause bad dreams and teach your partner to help you. If one of your loved ones has nightmares, please advise them to slightly adjust their lifestyle and follow the recommendations from this article.