{"id":3709,"date":"2026-05-03T09:01:06","date_gmt":"2026-05-03T14:01:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/claremontcoloniccenter.com\/?p=3709"},"modified":"2026-05-03T09:04:24","modified_gmt":"2026-05-03T14:04:24","slug":"why-we-have-nightmares-and-how-to-stop-them","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/claremontcoloniccenter.com\/?p=3709","title":{"rendered":"Why We Have Nightmares and How to Stop Them"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Why We Have Nightmares and How to Stop Them<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\tWe leave behind our fears of monsters under the bed as we say goodbye to our childhoods, but one can follow us into adulthood and loom over our heads.<\/b><\/i>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\tNightmares are more common in childhood, but anywhere from 50% to 85% of adults report having occasional nightmares.

\n\nAlmost everyone can experience nightmares.

\n\n\u201cDreams do usually incorporate things that happened during the day, leading some researchers to hypothesize that dreams and rapid eye movement sleep is essential for memory consolidation and cognitive rejuvenation,\u201d said Joshua Tal, a sleep and health psychologist based in Manhattan.

\n\n\u201cNightmares are the mind\u2019s attempts at making sense of these events, by replaying them in images during sleep.\u201d

\n\nNightmares are what the American Academy of Sleep Medicine call \u201cvivid, realistic and disturbing dreams typically involving threats to survival or security, which often evoke emotions of anxiety, fear or terror.\u201d

\n\nIf someone has frequent nightmares \u2014 more than once or twice weekly \u2014 that cause distress or impairment at work or among people, he or she might have nightmare disorder. Treatments include medications and behavioral therapies.

\n\nAddressing frequent nightmares is important since they have also been linked to insomnia, depression and suicidal behavior. Since nightmares can also cause sleep deprivation, they are linked to heart disease and obesity as well.

\n\nTrying out these 10 steps could help you ease your nightmares and improve your sleep and quality of life.

\n 1. Establish a sleep routine <\/b>

\n\nNightmares occur during rapid eye movement sleep, the phase during which our muscles relax and we dream. Waking up during REM sleep enables recollection of the dream and resulting distress, said Jennifer Martin, a professor of medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, and member of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine\u2019s board of directors.

\n\n\u201cOne of the most effective ways to treat nightmare problems in adults is actually to get them sleeping more soundly (so) they wake up less often,\u201d Martin said.

\nA healthy sleep routine begets sound sleep. Develop one by exercising, setting regular sleep and waking times, ensuring your room is dark and cool, avoiding stimulating beverages after midafternoon and engaging in relaxing activities.

\n 2. Cut back on alcohol<\/b>

\n\nAlcoholic beverages can induce restlessness and awakenings throughout the night \u2014 potentially helping you remember nightmares, Martin said.

\n\n\u201cA lot of people use alcohol as a way to wind down and feel sleepy at the end of the day, but it\u2019s really not the right solution,\u201d she added. Instead, try herbal teas and other beverages conducive to sleep. If drinking was the only part of your relaxation routine, chat with your partner or read instead.

\n\nOne drink more than three hours before bedtime is OK, Martin said. Just pay attention to whether it causes a post-dinner nap and alertness at bedtime, and eliminate that drink if it does.

\n 3. Don\u2019t eat before bed<\/b>

\n\nSnacking can boost metabolism, which causes your brain to be more active and could lead to nightmares, according to the National Sleep Foundation.

\n\nWhile some people sleep better after eating a light snack, you should stop eating two to three hours before bedtime. If you notice that you have nightmares afterward, try avoiding nighttime snacking or heavier meals before bed.

\n 4. Review your medications<\/b>

\n\nSome medications can prompt nightmares by interrupting REM sleep.

\n\n\u201cIf people can identify that their nightmares either started or increased when they had a change in their medication, that\u2019s definitely a reason to talk to their doctor\u201d about their medication schedule or alternatives, Martin said.

\n\nMelatonin, while a popular sleep aid, influences our circadian rhythm that regulates REM sleep, and can lead to more or fewer nightmares. If you want to take melatonin for better sleep, work with a sleep specialist to ensure you\u2019re taking it at the right time and not compounding the problem, Martin said.

\n 5. Practice stress-relieving activities<\/b>

\n\nProgressive muscle relaxation \u2014 tensing muscle groups as you inhale and relaxing them as you exhale \u2014 has been effective for reducing nightmares.

\n\n\u201cNightmares activate the sympathetic nervous system, the \u2018fight or flight system,\u2019 the body\u2019s natural response to imminent danger,\u201d said Tal via email.

\n\n\u201cThe body also has an innate relaxation system: the parasympathetic nervous system, aka the \u2018rest and digest\u2019 system.\u201d Progressive muscle relaxation and other relaxation activities can help activate that system.

\n 6. Journal your worries<\/b>

\n\nWrite down your worries to get them all out ahead of time, lest they rear their disquieting heads at night. Journaling can be helpful for alleviating nightmares and stress in general, Tal said.

\n 7. Don\u2019t watch or read scary content before bed<\/b>

\n\nSince our nighttime observations can appear during sleep, \u201cspend some energy engaging with things that are more emotionally neutral or even positive\u201d before bedtime, Martin suggested.

\n\nDuring the pandemic, our everyday lives are looking pretty scary, too. \u201cReading the news media and then hopping into bed is more likely to trigger disturbing and upsetting dreams than looking through pictures from your last vacation with your family,\u201d she added.

\n 8. Rewrite the ending<\/b>

\n\nImagery rehearsal therapy is effective \u201cwhen the chronic nightmares are showing similar themes and patterns,\u201d Tal said.

\n\nSince nightmares can be learned behavior for the brain, this practice involves writing down in detail the narrative elements of the dream. Then rewrite the dream so that it ends positively. Just before falling asleep, set the intention to re-dream by saying aloud, \u201cIf or when I have the beginnings of the same bad dream, I will be able to instead have this much better dream with a positive outcome.\u201d

\n\n\u201cBy practicing a rewrite during the daytime, you increase your chances of having them at night while you\u2019re sleeping instead of your nightmare,\u201d Tal said.

\n 9. Use a white noise machine<\/b>

\n\nSilence is key in a sleep routine, but \u201cfor people who either don\u2019t like it to be completely quiet or who are awakened by noises they can\u2019t control during the night,\u201d background noise \u201cis a good strategy,\u201d Martin said.

\n\nTry a fan or a white noise machine or app for several consecutive nights to help your brain adapt, she added.

\n 10. Check up on your mental health<\/b>

\n\nIf nothing works and you\u2019re still having nightmares, talk with a therapist or sleep specialist.

\n\n\u201cNightmares might be a sign of a larger issue, such as PTSD or a mood disorder,\u201d Tal said. \u201cIt is possible to treat the nightmares without treating the underlying disorder, but it may also be helpful to treat both the symptom and the disorder.

\n\n\u201cThere has been great progress on psychological treatments for nightmares, insomnia, anxiety and mood disorders,\u201d Tal added. \u201cDo not be afraid to ask for help; psychotherapy works and it is often short term and accessible.\u201d


\n\nContributor: Kristen Rogers, CNN Health<\/i>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Why We Have Nightmares and How to Stop Them We leave behind our fears of monsters under the bed as we say goodbye to our childhoods, but one can follow us into adulthood and loom over our heads. Nightmares are more common in childhood, but anywhere from 50% to 85% of adults report having occasional […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,4,9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3709","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-health","category-lifestyle","category-news-and-information"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/claremontcoloniccenter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3709","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/claremontcoloniccenter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/claremontcoloniccenter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/claremontcoloniccenter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/claremontcoloniccenter.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3709"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/claremontcoloniccenter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3709\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3713,"href":"https:\/\/claremontcoloniccenter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3709\/revisions\/3713"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/claremontcoloniccenter.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3709"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/claremontcoloniccenter.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3709"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/claremontcoloniccenter.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3709"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}