A terrifying fall that seems to go on forever, or being chased by a horrible creature which could be anything fearful like a ghost, a monster, (or a zombie IRS agent!) while you try so hard to flee but you're fixed on the spot, are some of the most common, but disturbing nightmares, people could have.

A nightmare could be anything from terror -- you think your head will explode with fear -- to something so terribly upsetting that you wake up gripped with misery.

If you think chronic nightmares fall into the realm of the unexplained, you are in for a pleasant surprise: having chronic nightmares is a medical problem and it can be treated. Dr. Ross Levin, a psychologist and sleep researcher at Yeshiva University in New York says when you slip into REM sleep (made evident to observers by the rapid flitting of your eyes behind closed lids), "the whole brain changes. Neurochemically, it's like the Fourth of July. The limbic system becomes incredibly active, much more so than when you're awake, which is why you're emotionally on edge in dreams." The limbic system, as Dr. C. George Boeree says in a separate paper here, "appears to be primarily responsible for our emotional life, and has a lot to do with the formation of memories."

Scientists believe that nightmares are a result of the brain's struggle to process stress or severe trauma. Unfortunately for some people, they get stuck in a recurring pattern of troubling nightmares. Treatment of recurring nightmare is through "image rehearsal therapy." You will be delighted to learn that this type of treatment is usually brief-lasting only for two to three sessions.

REWRITING THE SCRIPT

You don't like your nightmare? (who does!!??) The treatment involves helping you with imagery rehearsal therapy, where the focus is on rewriting the script of your nightmare during the day. If your nightmare finds you falling from the air, you could train yourself to spread your arms and transform that fall into an enjoyable flying maneuver; if your recurring nightmare is about a monster or a ghost chasing you and you cannot run, you can choose to imagine turning around to face your fear and it will disappear in disappointment.

Dr. Shelby Harris, clinical psychologist at the Sleep-Wake Disorders Center at Montefiore Hospital in New York , says,"We mention the nightmare once and forget about it. I tell patients to change it anyway they wish. You can change a tiny bit of it, or change the whole thing." The basic element to the treatment is to practice the new version of the dream by recreating a more desirable one several times during the day.

The treatment has proven to be successful and some have developed the ability to change the nightmare while they are in it. Dr. Harris says those who are often awaken by recurring nightmares, or those who are developing insomnia, or fear of sleeping, must seek professional help before things get worse.

Recurring nightmares could lead to the disruption of your REM to non-REM sleep cycle, loss of sleep or insomnia which could in turn greatly impact your cognitive functions. iMusic Deep Sleep Suite is one scientifically tested and proven tool that could greatly help you get that restful sleep, and wake up ready for the world!

Freddy Krueger?---Just say, "I'm not afraid of you!" (Repeat 24x a day and call me in the morning).

Are you one of the 50 to 70 million Americans who are suffering from insomnia? If you are, check out this warning:

Sarah Baldauf reports that people who have insufficient sleep (less than 7 hours a night) are more prone to obesity. When you have less sleep, Gherlin (hormones that command you to eat) goes berserk, while your body supply of Leptin (your appetite-suppressant hormone) suffers a recession. She adds that you also tend to prefer a cholesterol or fat-laden diet, which could result in hypertension, or worse, you are more prone to heart attack and/or becoming a diabetic.

Among other things, sleepy drivers are at a higher risk of getting involved in vehicular accidents, your balance is off, and kids are more likely to suffer behavioural problems.

We didn't put the above warning items in a bullet list but if you count, there's only nine.

We have some reservations about the tenth reason, that goes: "10) Death's doorstep may be nearer. Those who get five hours or less per night have approximately 15 percent greater risk of dying-regardless of the cause."

Uh ... as far as we know, uhm, we're all going to die 100 percent, right?

Don't get confused.  For extensive (and reliable) reports on sleep, sleep deprivation, and more enlightening facts about deep sleep, check this page here.

 

 

 

 

It has always been believed that the human brain gets its "rest" during the non-REM phase of sleep, as shown by previous brain imaging studies. You know, much like a computer shutsdown so it can rest. The fact that you do not remember anything during sleep (except for occasional recollections of a dream during REM sleep) seems to support this.

 

However, recent studies published in ScienceDaily (Oct. 17, 2008), have shown that even during our deepest stages of sleep or "slow-wave-sleep," there is a transient and recurrent increase of activity in some parts of our brain.

With the use of functional MRI (fMRI) combined with EEG, researchers have evidence of slow oscillations interpreted as an increase of brain activity during non-REM sleep. These areas of activation during deep sleep are pointing towards the functions of sleep in memory consolidation. It's much more like your "computer" isn't shutdown, it goes on auto-defrag.

This study, supported by the National Fund for Scientific Research in Belgium, the University of Liege, and the Queen Elizabeth Medical Foundation is another breakthrough in establishing sleep's crucial function to our intelligence.