Draft #1 of Research Paper

Dark Dreams

            Should you start taking constant nightmares seriously? According to a study by Patient Information Publications/Egton Medical Information Systems Ltd, “Up to 50% of children aged 3-6 years experience sleep-disturbing nightmares, and up to 80% of young children have frightening dreams. Between 2% and 8% of adults also complain of recurring nightmares that disturb their sleep and diminish their day-to-day functioning.” (Gertz). Nightmare disorder, also known as Dream Anxiety Disorder, is a terrifying condition described as the occurrence of oft-repeated dreams during which the sleeper feels threatened and terrified. Nightmares are vivid, detailed dreams that cause worry or fear, often exposing the dreamer to experiences of horrifying visual and emotional turbulence. This disorder could affect any person, but rather tends to have a greater effect on children. It also holds the possibility of impacting individuals emotionally as well as physically, by often reiterating fears or traumas that person has experienced. Nightmares are a common phenomenon experienced by nearly everyone. Although they might not be given much thought or consideration, they are a prominent factor in the life of others. Those who experience constant nightmares and night terrors may also carry underlying psychological and neurological disorders.

          Dream Anxiety Disorder significantly correlates with higher rates of childhood trauma history and poor sleep quality. Different factors can be causing individuals to experience terrifying and perturbing dreams. According to Semiz, Umit B., et al. from the GATA Haydarpasa Training Hospital “Nightmares and sleep problems are frequently encountered in patients with Borderline Personality Disorder BPD” (1). Borderline Personality Disorder is a serious disorder which according to the National Institute of Mental Health is marked by a pattern of ongoing instability in moods, behavior, self-image, and functioning. Different factors can be causing patients to have these horrifying and perturbing dreams. Neurological disorders can contribute to an individual becoming a victim and experiencing symptoms of Nightmare Disorder. In this article the researchers also state that, “Adults as well as children with a history of early trauma frequently report persistent disruptions in sleep” (1). These past events of trauma can lead to posttraumatic nightmares which are more intense, vivid dreams that hold actual traumatic scenes from a past event, dramatized by the imagination as it could contain scenes of death or violence.  

There are many possible ways of treating Dream Anxiety Disorder; such as imagery rehearsal therapy, counseling, and even medication. This condition, like most disorders, does not have a cure. Although doctors and researchers alike had been conducting studies to find treatments and even a possible cure. A study conducted by Kunze, Anna E., et al. discusses how frequent nightmares can effectively be treated with cognitive behavioral techniques such as imagery rehearsal therapy. IRT is a technique that can help individuals reprogram their nightmares to be less terrifying when they occur again. The results of this study which have not been published yet, conclude that nightmares “might provide useful knowledge about the working mechanism rescripting and exposure based treatments”(1). The researchers of this study tried to investigate the efficiency of these methods by following through with the therapy and collecting the results from their experiments.

Constant nightmares can cause sleep deprivation, which can lead to other medical diseases such as heart disease, obesity, depression and possibly death. Things you might normally do before you sleep can also have an effect on the quality of dreams, such as having  “[a] pre-bedtime snack can increase your metabolism, which causes the brain to become more active and can possibly lead to nightmares” (Sleep.org). Eating before bedtime can cause vivid nightmares. After eating, the body starts increasing its metabolism rate, due to digestion; leading the individual to have more energy and  higher brain activity during late hours of the night. This can cause the individual to experience sleep deprivation. Sleep deprivation is a “condition that occurs when you don't get enough sleep” (Nhlbi.nih.gov). Heart disease can be triggered by sleep deprivation, as a result of not receiving the satisfactory amount of sleep needed, which is highly considered to be from about seven to eight hours. During these episodes of sleep deprivation, the heart and blood pressure rate increases and does not allow for the heart to rest when it’s supposed to. The only time the heart has to rest is when one sleeps, because the blood pressure rate returns to its normal resting state and can allow the heart to recover for the next day.

Children tend to have more nightmares than adults because they have a more imaginative and sensitive mind, followed along by less exposure to the reality of the world around them.        “A new baby is constantly exposed to new images, sensations, smells, sounds and, as a result, strong emotions. It’s only during sleep that the infant eliminates all the information the brain      accumulates during the day.” (Horrocks). Children often tend to experience nightmares about paranormal figures such as ghosts, as well as being chased around or being in grave danger, often finding themselves placed in a state of danger or helplessness. This happens because the child does not have the capacity to explain their feelings, emotions and fears. As the child grows up and starts developing ideas on how to communicate those fears and emotions more effectively, they tend to have less nightmares. Nightmares in children are thought to be a key part of their imagination development, bringing awareness to the fact that there are many things in this world that can actually harm them or endanger their well-being. Fears and nightmares can also be the result of a frightening experience, or traumatic event in one’s life. Family conflict and anxiety, as mentioned before, can also play a severe role in causing these terrifying ruminations in children.

            A nightmare can be a very disturbing and frightening experience, often signifying of underlying factors and fears of your subconscious mind. These types of dreams can wake, and often keep you up at night, causing your sleep patterns to become discoursed. Sleep disturbances such as these can cause a high level of distress as well as affect bodily functions throughout the day. Psychologists and doctors alike often find difficulty in adequately explaining exactly what causes these consistent nightmares, and the context within them. Although Dream Anxiety Disorder is not regarded as a popular topic in mainstream media, it definitely should be. Considering its prevalence in society,  the emotional turmoil it’s capable of, and the undeniable role nightmares serve in  understanding the psychology behind our dreams. Research would suggest that it’s time to rethink what nightmares are, as well as look within the boundaries of our own dreams to find the answers to our life’s fears, problems and personal mysteries.

Reference

“Nightmare Disorder.” Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders,   www.minddisorders.com/Kau-Nu/Nightmare-disorder.html.

Patient Information Publications/Egton Medical Information Systems Ltd. Nightmare Disorder. (2014). Accessed on October 30, 2017

Kunze, Anna E., et al. "Efficacy and Mechanisms of Imagery Rescripting and Imaginal Exposure for Nightmares: Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial." Trials, vol. 17, 26 Sept. 2016, pp. 1-14.

Semiz, Umit B., et al. "Nightmare Disorder, Dream Anxiety, and Subjective Sleep Quality in  Patients with Borderline Personality Disorder." Psychiatry & Clinical Neurosciences, vol. 62, no. 1, Feb. 2008, pp. 48-55.

“What Are Sleep Deprivation and Deficiency?” National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 7 June 2017, www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/sdd.

“What Causes Nightmares | Sleep.Org by the National Sleep Foundation.” Sleep.Org,             sleep.org/articles/causes-nightmares/.

“What nightmares mean.” Sofeminine, 16 June 2008, www.sofeminine.co.uk/wellbeing/what-nightmares-mean-s564021.html.