Nightmares by Rachael Baker

2. • Nightmares are terrifying dreams that occur during REM sleep that
effect the sleepers feelings and mood emotionally and particularly
their mind.
This can leave a very negative impact on the sleeper as the dream
can hold experiences of danger, a sad and scarring moment or
memory.
• Nightmares tend to make the sleeper feel highly anxious, scared or
distressed whilst dreaming. The dreamer is also most likely to
recall the dream very well since it is during REM sleep and that is
when the dreamer is most likely to recall the dreams.

3. Nightmares are common in both
A study of high school students
genders, therefore it’s predictable that they will
found that around three-quarters
occur in 80-90% of people at one point in their
of a group of 300 had nightmares
life. However, they are most common in young
at least once a month.
children aging from 3-4 and 7 or 8 years old, but
the nightmares will most likely fade away as they
progressively get older, even though there are
still a fair amount of adults that get them.
Because a less amount of adults
get nightmares, studies have
shown that only 5-10% have
nightmares once a month or
regularly.

4. What ?
causes
Nightmares can be caused by a various
range of possibilities such as:
• The simple development stage of a
child.
• Drugs or medication.
• Repressed memories of childhood
fears or situations.
• The post suffering of a traumatic
event.
• Experiencing stress in work or with
a loved one.
• Insecurities of ones self.
• Marital problems.
• Excessive drinking of Alcohol.
• Anxiety of School or friends.
Or there could be no real answer or
possibility as to why the person is
enduring nightmares.

5. The
Effects of
• After waking from a nightmare it can leave a very unpleasing effect on the
dreamer.
Some will have a jolt and suddenly feel alarmed, others will scream or moan just
before waking.
• Health can also be effected when having one or more experiences of nightmares.
For instance, peoples emotions can change for a long period of
time, fatigue, anxiety, depression or lack of sleep can also occur.
• However nightmares can turn out to be more than just bad dreams where the
person could be effected on their well being or mental and psychological state.
Also nightmares can have a significant interference on relationships and social
life, for example someone could have a nightmare about a loved one in a
relationship and then decide to end the relationship all due to an
interfering, horrible nightmare.

6. The
History of
Nightmares do have some background history and a significant
part of it is actually spiritual.
Sigmund Freud for instance believed people effected by
nightmares could be re-experiencing worrying events from the
past.
• The Latin part of the word being ‘mare’ is said to mean the
word Demon and different cultures around the world have
been found that they consider nightmares being the work of
demons at night.
• The myth was told that this demon would sit on top of the
dreamers chest, trying to paralyse them and prevent the
dreamer from breathing.
• Such superstition has only be proven to be a myth, even though
cultures around the world are still holding their beliefs towards
the myth.

7. Treating
• People that are experiencing nightmares frequently have many options in
terms of overcoming these bad dreams such as the following:
• If the person is on medication, the nightmares may be caused by the
medication so it’s probably best to lessen the dosage.
• Therapy or Councelling
• Imagery Rehearsal Therapy – A way to train the brain to change the
nightmares into new, pleasing images. It has been proven by studies on
children that it helps reduce the number of nightmares as well.
• Cognitive-Behavioural techniques and/or a simple talk with a
parent, family member or friend for comfort, which can at times help
control nightmares.

8. Bibliography
• http://www.medicinenet.com/nightmares/page3.htm
Unknown author, unknown creation date, Nightmares, retrieved Sunday 20th May
2012.
• http://www.sleepassociation.org/index.php?p=nightmares
• American Sleep Association, unknown creation date, Nightmares, retrieved
Sunday 20th May 2012.
Book resource:
• Psyched: Psychology for Year Ten: Mulchahy, M.,Cutinelli, P.,Warner, J. &
Woodruff, T.(2009), Psyched : Psychology for Year Ten, Port Melbourne, VIC.
Cambridge University Press
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003209.htm
• David B. Merrill, MD, Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, created on the
22nd of February 2010, Nightmares, retrieved Sunday 20th May 2012.
http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200910/the-nightmare-files
John Cline. Published November 1st 2009, The Nightmare Files, retrieved Sunday
20th May 2012.