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Dreams can be a source of new ideas and inspiration. But only if it’s not a nightmare. Why do we dream of them and how to avoid them? Somnologists give advice.
Managing dreams, in particular those that are frightening and stressful, remains uncharted territory. For most people, nightmares do not become a serious problem, but they can be uncomfortable: no one likes to wake up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat. At present, there is no single approach to solving this problem. But there are a few general recommendations that have been tested in practice. Some of them are very unusual.
Pay attention to sleep hygiene
It is not always possible to completely prevent the occurrence of bad dreams. But it is in our power to monitor the quality of sleep so that sudden awakenings do not prevent us from feeling fresh and rested in the morning. Sleep hygiene includes the correct environment in the bedroom and adherence to the regimen.
Ideally, the bedroom should be dark, quiet and slightly cool. Remove or turn off all electronic devices. If a flashlight beam or other light source shines through the window, hang opaque curtains. Ear plugs or “white noise” generators can be helpful to block out distracting sounds.
Caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine can interfere with sleep, so it’s best to cut them out a few hours before bed.
As for daily habits, regularity is important here. Train yourself to go to bed and get up at the same time. Once you get it right, you can do without an alarm clock.
Caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine can interfere with sleep, so it’s best to cut them out a few hours before bed. Dinner should be light, without spicy and heavy dishes.
Write or speak your dream
Some psychologists use Imagery Rehearsal Therapy, a form of cognitive-behavioral therapy, to help manage recurring nightmares. The task is to present the content of the dream as clearly and in detail as possible, and then write a new, more positive version of its development. If you repeat this procedure daily, you can finally push out the original nightmare, replacing it with a pleasant dream you created.1.
If you wake up feeling agitated and unable to fall asleep immediately, it may be helpful to get out of bed, grab a pen or pencil, and remember all the details of what you saw. You can imagine how events would unfold if you were in control. For example, turn a monster into a cockroach or incinerate it on the spot.
Those who frequently play video games have less severe dreams. This observation only applies to male gamers.
Other experts consider stress and a general tendency to neuroticism to be the main factor in the appearance of nightmares. In 2013, an American Psychological Association survey found that stress correlated with poorer sleep quality and, worse, that sleep caused more sensitivity to stress.
Learn to relieve stress and tension
If you’ve had a rough day, take a few minutes to de-stress before heading to the bedroom. Take a warm bath, put on relaxing music, do some yoga exercises, or try your favorite ways to calm down that work for you.
Avoid watching or reading anything that causes disgust or fear before bed. A scary movie, action-packed romance, or suspenseful news releases are the right choice if you crave thrills in your sleep. If not, it is better to replace them with something light and pleasant.
The American Sleep Medicine Association also recommends Progressive Muscle Relaxation. Gradually tensing and relaxing various muscle groups throughout the body, you will feel how the tension will go away. The mind reacts to the state of the body. If you put your body in order, you can tame unpleasant thoughts.2.
Play video games
A study of American and Canadian former soldiers without PTSD found that those who frequently played video games experienced less severe dreams and were less likely to see themselves as the victim in their dreams. The researchers suggest that by fighting and winning in virtual reality, players transfer the feeling of control and power to the world of dreams.3.
However, this effect may not extend to women. While older male gamers were less affected by nightmares, female gamers continued to experience difficulty sleeping. In general, researchers believe that the ability of games to provide protection from nightmares depends on the genre, the atmosphere in the game (especially if it is played online), and how much the player identifies with their character.
1 R. Aurora et al. «Best Practice Guide for the Treatment of Nightmare Disorder in Adult», Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 2010, vol. 6.
2 F. Tiffany «Progressive Muscle Relaxation», Complementary and Alternative Therapies Research, 2009, vol. 7.
3 J. Cackenbach et al. «Video game play as nightmare protection: A preliminary inquiry with military gamers», Dreaming, 2011, vol. 21.