Why we have nightmares: Ukrainian sleep expert explains
Why nightmares can be beneficial (photo: Vitalii Nosach / RBC-Ukraine)
Nightmares can be not only frightening but also beneficial. They can positively affect the human psyche and experience, explains Ukrainian sleep expert Daria Pylypenko.
Nightmares as a protective brain reaction
"I believe that nightmares are actually a very positive thing. Because in this way we live through negative life events and experiences and develop a kind of emotional immunity," the expert explains.
Nightmares can occur after an active, emotionally intense day. Especially if someone has experienced negative emotions, unpleasant dreams help the nervous system process those events.
Since the subconscious remembers everything, when something happens in the future, we may not react that strongly. According to the specialist, even early experiences not stored in conscious memory can surface in dreams.
Night terrors are not dreams
"Night terrors are not dreams at all. It's a state when a person starts screaming, jerking violently, they may tremble—but they are still asleep and cannot be awakened," Pylypenko emphasizes.
The expert advises not to interfere during such episodes.
"It's better not to wake the person. In fact, it's very hard to wake someone in that state. They are in slow-wave sleep. It's very difficult to wake them up, and mainly almost impossible. You simply have to wait it out, it's a short episode and not dangerous," she advises.
Earlier, we wrote about symptoms that require an urgent visit to a psychiatrist.
This material is for informational purposes only and should not be used for medical diagnosis or self-treatment. Our goal is to provide readers with accurate information about symptoms, causes, and methods of detecting diseases. RBС-Ukraine is not responsible for any diagnoses that readers may make based on materials from the resource. We do not recommend self-treatment and advise consulting a doctor in case of any health concerns.
