Nightmares

A nightmare is a dream of particular intensity and with content that the sleeper finds disturbing. They are usually associated with rapid eye movement (REM) periods of sleep, and may be accompanied by physical movements.

   Up to about the eighteenth century, nightmares were often considered to be the work of demons, which were thought to sit on the chests of sleepers. Various forms of magic and spiritual possession were also advanced as causes. In nineteenth century Europe, the vagaries of diet were thought to be responsible. For example, in Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol Ebenezer Scrooge attributes the ghost he sees to “… an undigested bit of beef, a blot of mustard, a crumb of cheese, a fragment of an underdone potato…” In a similar vein, the Household Cyclopedia of 1881 offers the following advice about nightmares:

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Dream Dictionaries

There have been a lot of books written on the interpretation of dream symbols. A good set of dream dictionaries can be very helpful to a dream watcher, but they can also be an obstacle in your gaining true understanding of your own (or others) dreams.

   The interpretations and definitions that you find in a dream dictionary are to be taken only as suggestions. Any one dream symbol can have many different meanings for different people or even for the same person at different times in their lives. When attempting to interpret a dream never take the information in a dream dictionary as fact. The definitions are great to give you ideas but in order to really understand a dream you must know the dreamer very well.

   The best dream dictionary is one that you compile yourself. Keep a seperate journal for recording symbols and themes of your dreams. After you do this for awhile you will begin to realize what a lot of these symbols actually mean to you and soon you will be able to interpret many of your dreams accurately.

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Interesting Dream Facts

  • Not all dreams occur during REM sleep.
  • Dreams were first considered to be caused by indigestion or evil spirits.
  • Egyptians created dream dictionaries.
  • The first written dreams were in 4000 BC.
  • One third of our lives is spent sleeping.
  • In the Roman Era, striking and significant dreams were submitted to the Senate for analysis and interpretation.
  • Studies have shown that our brain waves are more active when we are dreaming than when we are awake.
  • Dreamers who are awakened right after REM sleep, are able to recall their dreams more vividly than those who slept through the night until morning.
  • Researchers found that during dreaming REM sleep, males experience erections and females experience increased vaginal blood flow - no matter what the content of the dream. In fact, “wet dreams” may not necessarily coincide with overtly sexual dream content.
  • If you are snoring, then you cannot be dreaming.
  • Nightmares are common in children, typically beginning at around age 3 and occurring up to age 7-8.
  • In a poll, 67% of Americans have experienced Deja Vu in their dreams, occurring more often in females than males.
  • Sleep experts say that counting sleep may actually contribute to sleeplessness rather than entice sleep.
  • The average adult requires between 7-9 hours of sleep each night.
  • Contrary to what may seem logical, vigorous exercising late in the evening raises certain hormone levels, along with your body temperature, both of which make falling asleep more difficult.
  • Prior to the invention of the light bulb, people slept on average for 10 hours a night. Today, people average 6-7 hours of sleep per night.
  • More than 18 million people suffer from sleep apnea, a breathing disorder in which there are actual lapses in breathing as a person sleeps.
  • Approximately 100,000 car crashes are caused each year by drowsy drivers. These accidents result in more than 1,500 fatalities.
  • The quality of your sleep is just as important as getting the right amount of sleep.
  • About 40% of adults snore.
  • A cat sleeps about 12 hours a day.
  • A dog sleeps between 10 and 11 hours daily.
  • A giraffe sleeps only about 2 hours each day.
  • A person will actually die from a lack of sleep before they would from starvation. Starvation would take about two weeks whereas a lack of sleep would prove fatal after only 10 days.
  • You actually burn more calories sleeping than you do watching tv.
  • Research proves that what we learn right before going to sleep is actually remembered longer than what we learn at any other time.
  • It takes the typical person 7 minutes to fall asleep.
  • The temperature of your room has an effect on your dreams. The colder the room, the worse the dreams.
  • The average person has five dreams a night.

    • True Lucid Dream Experiences

       I became really interested in lucid dreaming a few years ago. I had experienced a lucid dream when I was about ten years old. A dinosaur was about to eat me and then for some unknown reason I realized that I was dreaming. I told the monster that this was just a dream and he couldnt hurt me. The thing put me down and then I lost lucidity and slipped back into the dream. Almost 20 years passed before my next lucid experience. But I learned that with the proper techniques I could become lucid often.

       I started reading every book and magazine article I could find on the subject. If you read a lot of different authors you will find a lot of disagreement. I also found statements like; “You cannot read text or count numbers in a dream,” and “Each person dreams in only black and white or only color,” well, I proved these to be false! Reading is essential to the learning process but without direct structured involvement you will not uncover the secrets of your dreams.

       One thing about us is that while in a dream we dont recognize incongruities. In a dream you will find yourself in strange places and doing many “un-normal” things. Yet have you ever noticed this while it was happening?

       Look for recurring themes or objects in your dreams. If you try to make yourself think, for example, “The next time I am in that farmhouse I will know I am dreaming”. You want to bring yourself to the point where you are able to recognize these incongruities.

       Ask yourself aloud everyday “Am I dreaming?” Write this question on a post-it and put it on the fridge. Put a copy of the question in other places where you will see it often. Many people find that after a couple of weeks they ask themself the question and then realize that yes they are indeed dreaming!

    Some of my lucid experiences

       I was standing on a sidewalk in a town I know. Before I went to sleep I had made a list of some things that I wanted to check. In the dream I remembered the list and tested each item. I flexed my legs and shifted my weight. I could actually feel the hard solid sidewalk under my feet! I closed my eyes and leaned my head back. The warmth of the sunshine felt real. I took in deep breaths and I could smell the flowers and feel the air coming into my lungs. I could hear birds singing and the wind blowing. I got chill bumps because everything was so completely real.

       In another lucid dream experience I had also made a list. This time I wanted to find out if I could read text or add numbers in a dream. I became lucid and found myself in an office. There was a calendar on the wall. I walked over to the calendar which had a New England Farm picture and story. I read several paragraphs from the description aloud. I turned around and said, “Yes! You can read in a dream!” When I turned to the calendar and looked again the words had changed! That stunned me and I thought how strange for that to happen. Then I walked over to a desk and found a calculator. 2 + 2 did equal 4 and I was able to add and subtract numbers accurately in a dream.

       One lucid dream I had was triggered because while dreaming I realized that I did not own a Ford Bronco. From that moment on I was lucid! In the dream I was driving down a dirt road. A young boy was with me. His motorcycle had broken down and I was giving him a ride. Suddenly I slammed on the brakes and said, “I dont drive a Ford Bronco! I am dreaming!” I stepped out of the truck and started to fly into the air. The boy said, Hey! You can’t fly!” I said, “This is my dream. I can do anything I want to!” I flew higher into the air and thought about what I wanted to do with my dream. Then I flew away and did it!

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