Any sleep disturbance indicates that in reality not everything is going smoothly for a person, and this applies not only to nightmares, but also to nightmares. If you encounter this problem, read on, you will find it interesting. In this article, you will learn why you have nightmares and how you can stop them without taking strong medications.

Causes of nightmares

If you have nightmares from time to time and would like to sleep more peacefully, pay attention to your overall lifestyle. The reasons are most often more than banal:

• Horror movies before bed. What you thought about is what you dreamed about;
• Poor nutrition, overeating. It’s not just the stomach that’s bad—the whole body suffers. The body does not feel comfortable and cannot relax, so there is nothing surprising in bad dreams;
• Common cold. Any physical discomfort can be accompanied by nightmares, and this is also quite natural;
• Poor conditions for recreation. If you sleep on an uncomfortable sofa, in a stuffy environment, or vice versa, in the cold, you are unlikely to have a peaceful and pleasant dream;
• Alcohol abuse. Excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages often leads to nightmares, and people who are prone to binge drinking are especially susceptible to this;
• Pregnancy. During pregnancy, a woman’s physical and mental state changes not only - she reacts to every little thing, becomes too suspicious and worries not only about herself, but also about the unborn child;
• Overwork. Being overtired makes it difficult for you to relax. The body may “switch off” instantly, but these words no longer apply to the brain.
• Nervous stress. The most unpleasant reason why people have nightmares. Read about this below in full detail.

An obsessive nightmare - the truth without exaggeration

Some people believe that nightmares are a warning about something that is about to happen, while others believe that nightmares are a consequence of something that has already happened. In fact, both are right, but there is no mysticism here. There is a logical explanation for everything, including nightmares.

Nightmare as a warning

Any dream is the work of the brain, which continues to function even after the physical body falls asleep. If in reality you are afraid of something, it means that you are in constant psychological tension called “sustained stress.” The reasons can be anything: a lifestyle associated with risk, a dangerous occupation, lack of stability and fear for the future. There are also more obvious reasons that occur among victims of blackmail or, for example, among people who are at odds with the law, but they are even lucky to some extent - they know where the problem comes from.

If you constantly have nightmares, but outwardly everything is quite well and there seem to be no visible reasons, it means that you are inattentive to yourself. There is a reason, you just don’t see it! Perhaps in the distant past you failed to cope with some problem and tried so hard to forget about it that you even succeeded, but the question still remains open. It is no coincidence that nightmares chose this particular period of time to begin to appear in your dreams - it is likely that the consequences of past events can manifest themselves right now, and you have already thought about this at some point.

What to do

To help yourself, you need to find the reason. Answer honestly to yourself what exactly bothers you so much. It’s dangerous to drive away any disturbing thoughts now - in this way you will drive the problem into the far corner of the subconscious, from where it certainly won’t go anywhere, and one day it will manifest itself again. Relax later, but now you need to understand why you have nightmares and what they warn you about.

Nightmare as a consequence

In this situation, a person understands perfectly why he has nightmares. He suffered a lot of stress, was frightened by something, and maybe continues to be afraid, or lives in constant stress. The nervous system is so exhausted that it’s impossible to even switch to a night’s rest.

What to do

If the source of stress is still present in your life, you will have nightmares until you eliminate it. If you continue to dream almost every night of an episode from the past that frightened you, but will not affect your future life in any way, seek help from a psychologist before the problem leads you to a dead end.

Types and meaning of nightmares

According to experienced psychologists, every nightmare is a dream for a reason. Instead of studying dream books based on prejudices and someone’s rich imagination, we suggest you find out the meaning of the “language” of terrible dreams and nightmares.

• Disaster. Just as in a dream you are powerless against the elements, so in real life you feel helpless. Such dreams can be dreamed by a child from a dysfunctional family, a man who cannot protect himself and his loved ones, or a woman who has become a victim of violence;
• Dead. You escape from reality and look for the reasons for your failures in mysticism and prejudice. Instead of, for example, becoming more responsible, it is easier for you to tell yourself and others that they have jinxed you or wished you failure. If you dream of a specific person who has passed away, it means that you have not yet come to terms with their loss;
• Lateness on a plane, train, important meeting, etc. Such a nightmare is dreamed of by people who take too much on themselves, try to be on time everywhere, or are responsible for a large number of people. You just need a rest;
• Running, chasing you. You are literally running away from problems instead of solving them, and even your subconscious is signaling to you that this method is not working. The first thing you need to do is become more honest with yourself. Assess the situation in which you find yourself - perhaps your problem is completely solvable;
• Own death. Some stage of your life has come to an end, and this is not always a bad thing. The period of study, a bachelor lifestyle, a probationary period at work - whatever! Sometimes such a dream warns of drastic changes - for example, moving, having a child, or changing your field of activity.
• A shame(seeing yourself naked, getting into an awkward situation). You attach too much importance to the opinions of others. Your subconscious is telling you that it’s time to become more lenient towards people. Empty talk will not harm you, and in any case, you cannot be good to everyone.

Kalinov Yuri Dmitrievich

Reading time: 4 minutes

Concerns about your loved ones or actions taken are often expressed in nightmares in dreams, and sometimes there is no way to control this state. Psychologists say that pessimists and skeptics, people who are suspicious in life, are more susceptible to fear. Having figured out the question of why you have nightmares and gotten rid of them, you can change your lifestyle, reduce the number of stressful situations and begin to get enough sleep.

Causes of nightmares

If the period of sleepless nights has begun, there is no need to wait. You should immediately find the reasons why you have bad dreams.

If we consider the condition of an adult, the probable causes of nightmares are as follows:

• Experiences or stressful situations. Most often, the cause of dreams that torment us is the death of loved ones, divorce or an act of violence, and less often – conflicts in our personal lives and at work. Extreme situations always affect the human psyche and do not allow one to get rid of nightmares. Fears can also visit a person before some important event in life, and the brain, due to an overabundance of thoughts, cannot work normally, forcing us to wake up in a cold sweat again and again.
• Increased body temperature during illness.
• A nightmare with a feeling of suffocation may indicate the presence of cardiovascular disease.
• Binge eating. One of the common reasons why you have nightmares at night. The stomach becomes overloaded, stops functioning normally, discomfort, heaviness arises and, as a result, sleep is disrupted.
• Excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages. Brain function is disrupted, causing insomnia and fears during sleep.
• Taking medications. Some medications can provoke disruptions in the human nervous system, and the result is nightmares.
• Fatigue and excessive overwork at work.

Oddly enough, an overly tired person does not necessarily sleep like a log. Overwork can lead to various sleep disorders, from insomnia to nightmares.

• Physical discomfort during sleep. This could be an uncomfortable bed, poorly ventilated rooms, noise or an unpleasant odor.
• Smoking. Promotes dream disturbance due to an excess of toxic substances in the body.
• Watching horror movies before bed. What he sees can greatly impress a person, and nightmares are guaranteed that night. Especially suspicious and emotional people are not recommended to watch films of this genre.
• Psychic trauma experienced in childhood. Our subconscious can transform the experience into a nightmare that visits a person again and again.

And fears. Nocturnal ones appear to a person when he is in the REM sleep phase. As a rule, their plots are implausible and intricate. After waking up, a person can remember and retell what happened to him without experiencing any horror. The nature of night fears differs from nightmares. Fears manifest themselves during deep sleep, about an hour after falling asleep; dreams are rare during this phase. They are painful, but short-lived, their plot is clear and... Waking up the next morning, a person may not remember what he saw at night. Rarely, nightmares are daily. But if this happens constantly, it can lead to poor health and negatively affect the psyche. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the reasons for such dreams. Most often, the provoking factor for nightmares is a state of stress, the occurrence of which is associated with problems at work, worry about loved ones, and financial difficulties. Psychological reasons may include worries about personal relationships, resulting in fears and distrust of others. If it is possible to understand and establish these factors, then most likely this will help normalize sleep. Some medications, for example, antidepressants, barbiturates, sedatives, and narcotic drugs may have side effects such as nightmares. Before using such drugs, you should consult a doctor or pharmacist, and if necessary, avoid their use. Unpleasant dreams can be caused by certain diseases and ailments, especially those accompanied by high fever and difficulty breathing. To prevent restless sleep, you should not drink alcoholic beverages at night. You need to pay attention to the quantity and nature of food that is eaten for dinner. Eating too much or too late can have a very negative impact on the quality of your sleep. Avoid active physical work, computer games, and intellectual activity before bedtime. If you can't find out the reasons, try simply changing where you sleep. It is possible that the room is not quite suitable for you or the bed is inconveniently located. Before going to bed, you can drink a glass of warm milk with a teaspoon of honey or use a folk remedy that has a calming effect. Take 3 parts sage and thyme herbs, 2 parts juniper branches, eucalyptus leaves, rose petals and one part lemon zest. Pour one liter of boiling water and let the drink brew in a thermos for 6 hours. Drink the resulting infusion one glass before bed, and after a few days the bad dreams will disappear. If nightmares at night are repeated with a certain frequency, you should seek help from neurologists or psychiatrists.

For various reasons, people may have bad dreams. Sometimes they arise due to worries about their relatives and loved ones, and they can also dream when a person has done some bad deed in his life. Psychologists and specialists have conducted a lot of research and report that scary dreams are most often seen by skeptics, pessimists and suspicious people. If you understand why you have nightmares, you can quickly get rid of them, thanks to which your lifestyle will change for the better, and you will also be able to get a good night's sleep and avoid stressful situations at night.

Main reasons

If a woman or man has nightmares, then you need to find out the reason for their appearance as soon as possible. They usually arise due to the following factors:

• stressful situations, anxiety and various experiences. Very often, nightmares in a dream occur after a person has buried his loved one or relative, as well as after acts of violence, conflict situations at work, in his personal life, after a divorce or a serious illness. Extreme events in life often have a detrimental effect on a person’s mental state, after which bad dreams begin;
• if some important, responsible event is planned in a person’s life, as a result of which the nervous system is excited, an excess of thoughts occurs, so the brain stops working normally, the person often wakes up due to a nightmare;
• during an infectious, viral or other disease, body temperature increases, this leads to nightmares;
• if in a dream a person feels as if he is being strangled, this sometimes indicates the appearance of diseases of the cardiovascular system;
• binge eating. Eating too much in the evening will cause bad dreams. When the stomach is overloaded, it is unable to work normally, heaviness and discomfort arise, the digestive system is overloaded, and sleep disturbance appears;
• if a person abuses alcohol, this will be the reason why he often has nightmares. Alcoholic drinks, especially if consumed before bedtime, often lead to fear and insomnia;
• when using medications. Some medications have various side effects, including disorders of the nervous system; these disorders can cause bad dreams in women and men;
• severe physical fatigue, mental fatigue during daytime work. If a person is excessively tired during the day, he will not necessarily sleep well at night. Overwork often leads to insomnia and other sleep disorders, including nightmares;
• discomfort at night. If it is uncomfortable to sleep at night, the room is very stuffy or hot, there is an unpleasant smell, bright light or too noisy, then this will most likely cause terrible dreams for both women and men;
• smoking promotes the accumulation of toxic substances in human tissues, organs and blood vessels; these substances have a detrimental effect on night sleep;
• watching scary movies, thrillers and action films. If you watch movies on TV or on the computer in the evening that stimulate the nervous system, they will disrupt your night's rest;
• showdowns, scandals, shouting and swearing have a detrimental effect on brain function, so you should not start scandals in the evening;
• psychological trauma in childhood has a negative impact on the subconscious, which transforms long-past events into terrible night dreams.

To normalize your night's rest, first of all, you need to understand why you constantly have nightmares, and after that you can fight them.

Ways to deal with bad dreams

Every person, man and woman, wants to sleep soundly at night and gain strength so that terrible dreams do not spoil the night's rest. What to do if you have nightmares every night? The following tips may help:

• Before going to bed, you can take a warm bath; experts recommend adding aromatic oils to the water, and also placing candles with a pleasant aroma in the bathroom.
• Before going to bed, it is advisable to drink a cup of lemon balm, mint or chamomile tea; you can dissolve a spoonful of honey in a glass of warm milk. Such drinks will help you calm down, relax and get ready for sleep;
• night pajamas should be clean, made from natural material, so that when you sleep, they do not squeeze the body and do not limit movement, clothes should not be too tight and tight;
• Lack of oxygen is often the reason why you have nightmares every night. Therefore, before going to bed, it is advisable, instead of watching TV, to take a walk outside, in the fresh air, and also ventilate the bedroom for 10-20 minutes or more. In addition, while working during the day, you also need to ventilate the room so that the body receives a sufficient amount of oxygen, this will be the key to a sound and quality night's sleep;
• You shouldn’t think about bad events in your life in the evening, especially when you’re already in bed, and it’s also not recommended to replay negative situations from the past day in your head. It’s advisable to think about something good before going to bed, then you’re more likely to have a good dream;
• if for some reason you often have nightmares, then the events you see can be drawn on paper after waking up. Experts in the field of psychology have proven that by drawing your nightmares, you can examine them in detail and think about why you dreamed about them. Thanks to this, you can understand what to do so that terrible dreams do not recur;
• if you have nightmares very often, or even every day, then there is no need to hide them from other people; on the contrary, it will be useful to discuss them with relatives or friends. During such a discussion, you can understand what they mean, or what you dreamed about;
• Sports activities and moderate physical activity are very useful, thanks to them you can stop having bad dreams;
• when waking up at night after a bad sleep, you need to think about something good and pleasant, such thoughts will help you fall asleep quickly;
• in the evening you do not need to eat too high-calorie foods;
• If a person has tried many ways to get rid of bad dreams, but they still occur when you sleep, you need to contact a psychotherapist who will help you find out the reason why you have nightmares and also help eliminate them.

Prevention

In the case when a person often sees terrible visions at night, and it is not clear why women and men have nightmares, you can take simple preventive actions and change your lifestyle. Psychologists and doctors have conducted various studies and found that it is quite easy to prevent bad dreams. What should I do for this? The following recommendations will help:

• Instead of watching TV in the evening, it is better to pick up an interesting book and read it for half an hour or an hour, thanks to which the nervous system will calm down. However, you should not choose detective stories or books with a tense plot; it is better to read narrative stories, scientific articles or some other literature that will be practical and useful;
• if you don’t want to read stories, then you shouldn’t watch films on TV that contain episodes of violence, cruelty, or horror;
• in the evening there is no need to play computer games, they irritate the nervous system and often lead to scary dreams;
• before going to bed, you need to tune in to something positive, remember pleasant incidents in life, good episodes;
• in the evening you should not throw out your emotions, laugh excessively, before going to bed, you need to calm down and relax;
• do not eat spicy and fatty foods in the evening, because when you sleep, they will provoke bad dreams;
• It is advisable to go to bed early, no later than 22:00, because it is at this time that the human body begins to intensively produce melatonin, so you can only get a good night’s sleep and gain strength from this time;
• when you sleep, it is better to do it on your back. Many experts agree that the position on the back allows all internal organs to relax; in this position, the spine completely rests, which has a beneficial effect on brain function.

Bad dreams in children

There are various reasons why children may have scary dreams. What to do if this happens?

1. It is necessary to listen to the child’s complaints; perhaps his parents are not paying enough attention to him, or he is having serious problems at school.
2. There is no need to tell your daughter or son scary fairy tales, intimidate them and let them read horror films, this has a detrimental effect on the psyche and leads to disturbances in night rest.
3. Cruelty in the family or among friends often explains the occurrence of terrible dreams. If mom and dad often quarrel, or even fight, then on a subconscious level, negative emotions spill out at night in the form of nightmares.
4. When the child was not yet born and was in the mother’s belly, he could take on a nervous state and mental imbalance; this can manifest itself when the child is 3 years old or older.
5. Excessive fatigue and heavy loads can lead to disturbances in night rest. Parents should think about what to do to relieve their son or daughter, emotionally or physically.
6. If the child is too sensitive and vulnerable, then he may have sleep disorders; in this case, the parents will not be able to help the baby; consultation with a qualified psychologist will be required.

To dream that disgusting nightmares are pressing on you means disputes and failures in business.

For a young woman, this dream prophesies disappointment and undeserved neglect. This could also be a warning for the woman who saw this dream: to be careful with her health and food.

Nightmare according to the Family Dream Book

Nightmare - dreams of disputes and failures in business. For a young woman, such a dream predicts disappointment and undeserved neglect. This dream can also be a warning: you should be careful regarding your health and nutrition.

Nightmare according to the dream book of Dmitry and Nadezhda Zima

Any nightmare in a dream is always a consequence of nervous overstrain and... a reflection of your negative emotions. It seems that in some matters you look at life too gloomily, and this negativity haunts you in your sleep. Try to look on the bright side of things and the nightmares will leave you.

Nightmare according to the latest dream book by G. Ivanov

Waking up from a nightmare is a sign of heart disease, it makes sense to be examined by a doctor. You should pay attention to your heart. Don't sleep on your back!

Nightmare according to the dream book from A to Z

Dreams that evoke strong negative emotions, after which you wake up in a cold sweat and with a happy feeling of relief realize that everything you saw and experienced was unreal, that is, did not happen to you in reality - such dreams, naturally, do not portend anything good, but at the same time they can serve as a warning if you perceive them in this aspect.

Nightmare according to the Modern Dream Book

If you are tormented by nightmares in a dream, this portends disagreements and failures in commercial affairs. For a young woman, such a dream predicts disappointment and undeserved disrespect.

Also, nightmares can warn the dreamer to be more careful about his health and be more picky about food.

Nightmare according to Catherine the Great's dream book

Nightmare - You are having a nightmare that cannot even be described; or something huge is falling on you, threatening to crush you; you see evil in its pure form and experience wild horror from this sight - endless disputes will be empty, everyone will remain with their own; the matter will end in failure. The young woman had a nightmare - in reality, this woman will be disappointed and even upset: what she knows and can do will be unclaimed; she will offer a very reasonable solution, but she will not be heard. Any nightmare from which you wake up in a cold sweat and screaming, with your heart beating furiously, should draw your attention to the way you live: perhaps you are not getting enough rest, you are engaged in too intense mental activity, you are eating improperly (in in particular, eat heavy fatty foods before bed); eliminating errors in your lifestyle will save you from painful nightmares.

Nightmare according to Stuart Robinson's dream book

Nightmare in a dream - if you had a nightmare, but it never happened again, then you have nothing to worry about. But if you see such a dream periodically, you should visit a doctor. Frequent nightmares are associated with disruption or deterioration of blood flow in the brain during sleep and may indicate the presence of migraines or pathology of the cardiovascular system. Sleep nightmares are typically associated with decreased blood flow in the brain during sleep, scientists believe. This is what causes terrible dreams. A nightmare indicates that we are in the grip of some kind of fears and anxieties. If you have such a dream, it means that the time has come to solve these problems and we have enough strength for this. If you want to turn a nightmare to your advantage, do not try to brush it off and forget it as soon as possible. Otherwise, your problems will remain unresolved, continuing to torment you further, and more and more. Overcome yourself and try to remember your nightmare in every detail, relive it again in your imagination. Turn your face to your fear, to those monsters that scare you in your dreams. Try to understand what they want from you, what problems they indicate. This will deprive them of their power.

Nightmare according to the Jewish dream book

What do Nightmares mean in a dream - For quick luck.

Nightmare according to the Psychotherapeutic Dream Book

Nightmare – A nightmare expresses intense mental conflict, most likely centered on some form of repressed sexual desire. These desires are practically not realized, accompanied by fear, which turns erotic dreams into a nightmare. Fear, which is the basis of the nightmare experience, is associated with an internal guilt complex, often coming from prohibition and suppression of desire. Pressure on the chest or ribcage, leading to heavy breathing or limited movement. Submission in the act of sexual intercourse in which the individual plays a passive role. Sadism and aggression. A combination of love with guilt and fear. If the desire is incestuous, then a strong feeling of internal guilt may be associated with punishment, expressed in impotence. In a certain area, dream incubation is successful in reflecting and alleviating guilt if it is atoned for through religious rites that facilitate the transfer of sin to a specific demon. Moreover, the process itself does not change, only the words change: libido is a dissolute demon, to which the individual does not feel responsible. It is not necessary to discover the source of an insoluble conflict, since all objects are known and presented in symbolic or real form. Just like fear of the dark, fear can be dispelled by working through the symbolic essence of figures and emotions in dreams. Nightmares in early childhood that occur or recur in middle age refer to a traumatic birth experience, as the interpreter tells you about the essence of the dream you are having.

Nightmare according to the American Dream Book

Nightmares should be taken as a positive experience. They allow us to work with unresolved real-life problems that we are trying to keep out of our consciousness. These problems harm us on all levels of life, including health and relationships. Imagine yourself returning to a nightmare and replay it in your mind several times. Change the plot of the dream so that the outcome is in your favor. This will help heal those areas of your soul that have become the source of the nightmare.

Nightmare according to Sivananda's Vedic dream book

Nightmare - this dream suggests that you are being manipulated by stupid people. Be careful and attentive with them.

Nightmare according to the Old English Dream Book

If you have a severe nightmare that you cannot remember without a shudder of soul, this is a sign that you are under the influence of a stupid and careless person who can ruin your life if you do not protect yourself.

Nightmare according to lovers' dream book

If a girl has nightmares that upset her psyche, this means that her interests will be neglected by her loved one and she will be disappointed in love.

Nightmare according to the Psychoanalytic Dream Book of V. Samokhvalov

Nightmare - expresses intense mental conflict, which is most likely centered on some form of repressed sexual desires. These desires are practically not realized, accompanied by fear, which turns erotic dreams into a nightmare. Fear, which is the basis of the nightmare experience, is associated with an internal guilt complex, often coming from prohibition and suppression of desire. Pressure on the chest or ribcage, leading to heavy breathing or limited movement. Submission in the act of sexual intercourse in which the individual plays a passive role. Sadism and aggression. A combination of love with guilt and fear. If the desire is incestuous, then a strong feeling of internal guilt may be associated with punishment, expressed in impotence. In a certain area, dream incubation is successful in reflecting and alleviating guilt if it is atoned for through religious rites that facilitate the transfer of sin to a specific demon. Moreover, the process itself does not change, only the words change: libido is a dissolute demon, to which the individual does not feel responsible. It is not necessary to discover the source of an insoluble conflict, since all objects are known and presented in symbolic or real form. Just like fear of the dark, fear can be dispelled by working through the symbolic essence of figures and emotions in dreams.

Nightmares of early childhood that occur or recur in middle age are related to the traumatic experience of birth.

Nightmare according to the dream book for a bitch

A nightmare - disputes with family and friends, failures and annoying mistakes at work, disappointment in your loved one because of his careless attitude towards you, and also be more attentive to what you eat and drink.

A recurring nightmare - try to watch the dream to the end and try to imagine a happy ending.

Nightmare according to the 21st century dream book

Nightmares - dreams of unfavorable events, followed by failures in business and disagreements with loved ones. For a young woman, this dream predicts disappointment.

If she was tormented by nightmares in a dream, it means that she should start strengthening her health and be more picky about food.

Nightmare according to Denise Lynn's short dream book

Nightmares should be viewed as a positive experience. They allow us to work with unresolved real-life problems that we are trying to keep out of our consciousness. These problems harm us on all levels of life, including health and relationships. Nightmares are a way to solve problems. Rejoice in nightmares!

Imagine yourself returning to a nightmare and replay it in your mind several times. Change the plot of the dream so that the outcome is in your favor. This will help heal those areas of your soul that have become the source of the nightmare.

Nightmare according to Denise Lynn's detailed dream book

Nightmares convey a lot of useful information, and we should be grateful to them for the messages they bring to us. They allow us to deal with those unresolved problems that we are used to turning away from during our waking hours and try not to allow into consciousness. These unresolved problems affect every aspect of our lives, including harm to our health and relationships. If you have a recurring nightmare, try to remember it during the day, return to the nightmare, replaying it in your imagination several times, and find out all the information it carries. Try to change its outcome and some details. This will help you heal the areas of your soul that are causing this nightmare and its return.

Nightmare according to the dream book 2012

A nightmare is a message of a lot of useful information about the mental and physical state of the dreamer.

You can’t give in to fear, you need to figure it out (see the article “Why do you have bad dreams and how to get rid of them?”) and thank your subconscious (higher self) for your help.