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The Nightmare, by Henry Fuseli, 1781. A mare (Old English: mære, Old Dutch: mare; Old Norse, Old High German and Swedish: mara; Proto-Slavic *mara) is a malicious entity in Germanic and Slavic folklore that walks on people's chests while they sleep, bringing on nightmares. [1]
Nightmares are bad dreams you wake up from and can remember. Night terrors are most common in children between the ages of 3 and 8, while nightmares can affect both children and adults. Differences between night terrors and nightmares. If you cannot move or speak as you wake up or fall asleep, you may have sleep paralysis.
1_Snail. • • Edited. In the UK “mare” can be an informal shortening of the word “nightmare”, i.e. saying that someone is “a mare”, “a complete nightmare” or “a bit of a mare” means they are someone who is very unpleasant or difficult to deal with. This term can also be used more generally to describe a very bad situation.
- Overview
- What are the most common nightmares?
- Can nightmares be warnings?
- How does your brain decide what to dream?
- FAQs
- Takeaway
While no one is exactly sure why we have nightmares, research shows they’re more common in those with some mental health diagnoses such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Falling from a high place, being chased by a vicious animal, wandering around lost or helpless… what do all these things have in common? If you hadn’t already guessed it, the scenarios are just a few of the most common themes that people report experiencing in their nightmares. But what do these nightmares actually mean — and can they be a warning sign that something is wrong?
Nightmares, like dreams, can come in all shapes and sizes – but as it turns out, there are a few common themes that people seem to grapple with when they experience nightmares.
One study from 2018 published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine explored the most common nightmare themes in more than 1,200 participants. The results of the study found several common themes among those experiencing frequent nightmares:
•19% — death or injury to loved ones
•18% — failure or helplessness
•18% — physical aggression
•15% — accidents
Researchers still have a lot to learn about the science of dreaming, and there are multiple theories as to why we dream. For example, the psychodynamic theory of dreams says that dreams simply exist to fulfill our subconscious desires. And the neurocognitive theory says that dreams are merely a byproduct of the brain’s natural evolution.
None of the theories about dreaming point to our dreams (or nightmares) as being warnings of potential or impending doom. However, there’s one thing that nightmares may actually “warn” us about: our physical and mental health.
According to research, nightmares are more common in people who have mental health diagnoses. In fact, one study states that up to 70% of people with PTSD, major depression, and other mental health diagnoses experience chronic nightmares. A condition called nightmare disorder, specifically, appears to affect a large percentage of people living with mental health conditions.
It’s not just mental health disorders that can cause an increase in nightmares, either. One study found that nightmares are also commonly associated with other factors such as negative feelings, worry, and sleep duration. Research also suggests that certain health conditions, such as migraine and asthma, and certain medications can cause an increase in nightmares.
In a way, chronic nightmares can be a warning about your physical or mental health.
If chronic nightmares are disturbing your sleep, it’s worth bringing it up to a doctor or therapist. They’ll be able to help you create a plan for more peaceful sleep.
It’s hard to say exactly how our brains decide what to dream about each night — or if we’ll even dream at all. But for the most part, researchers believe that our dreams are strongly influenced by factors such as our personality and imagination, as well as the things we’re interested in and concerned about.
In children, for example, dreams tend to follow cognitive development and become more involved as they get older. And in adults, things such as mood and mental health can greatly influence the content of our nightly dreams.
When should I be worried about nightmares?
Researchers suggest that around 35 to 45% of people experience at least one nightmare per month — but only around 2 to 8% of people experience chronic nightmares. If your nightmares have increased to the point that they’re starting to affect your sleep quality or mood, consider reaching out to your doctor or healthcare professional.
What do PTSD nightmares look like?
Statistics show that roughly 70% of people living with PTSD experience frequent, chronic nightmares. Many of these nightmares tend to involve the trauma that caused the PTSD — such as either dreaming about the traumatic event or experiencing the thoughts, feelings, or emotions associated with the event. Learn more about getting support for PTSD.
What do nightmares mean spiritually?
While there’s very little research on the spiritual aspect of nightmares, some people believe that nightmares and spirituality are linked. For example, some religions view dreaming as a form of communication with a higher being, while others regard dreams as a meditative experience.
Most people experience nightmares from time to time, and for the majority of people, they’re usually nothing to worry about.
However, some people — especially those with certain underlying physical or mental health conditions — may experience nightmares more frequently than usual. If you’ve been experiencing frequent or chronic nightmares, consider reaching out to a doctor to discuss your concerns.
Jan 19, 2018 · The “mare” of “nightmare” comes from mære, an Old English term for an evil spirit that was supposed to settle on a sleeper’s chest and cause a feeling of suffocation. The “mare” that means an adult female horse was a merging of two Old English words: mearh (horse) and mīre (mare). And in case you’re wondering, the word ...
Nov 3, 2017 · The mare of ‘the nightmare’ is a demon; and the word for horse and the word for nightmare derive from a different root. Mara – Evil Spirits and The Night Horse. In Dutch, the nightmare is known as the maar or mare, sometimes called nachtmaar or nachtmare, analogous to the English word.
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Nightmare. A nightmare, also known as a bad dream, [1] is an unpleasant dream that can cause a strong emotional response from the mind, typically fear but also despair, anxiety, disgust or sadness. The dream may contain situations of discomfort, psychological or physical terror, or panic. After a nightmare, a person will often awaken in a state ...
