Nikol: I have nightmares

Lately I have nightmares almost every night. It's crazy, I wake up tense and worried. I don't feel stressed and I'm looking for the reason I can't sleep well... In www.dreammoods.com/dreaminformation/dreamtypes/nightmares.htm I found an article that says about nightmares: Nightmares are a subcategory of dreams. The distinction of a nightmare is its frightening and/or emotional content. You tend to wake up in fear in the midst of a nightmare. Because of its frightening nature, you are more likely to remember your nightmares and the vivid details. They have a bigger impact upon your waking mind. Its images stay with you throughout the day.
Some studies show that people who are more sensitive, intuitive, creative, or imaginative are more prone to have nightmares. this may be because they are more empathetic and more in tune with their surroundings. One reason for nightmares may be a way for your unconscious to get your attention about a situation or problem that you have been avoiding. It is time to take notice and confront the issue! Sometimes nightmares serve to warn you about your health or an accident. However, often times nightmares stem from a deeper level indicating that something is troubling you from within your subconscious. Discussing, analyzing, and understanding your nightmares can lead to a solution to some problem, internal conflict or personal difficulty.

According to a report released by the United States National Library of Medicine, there are some factors that when present can increase the chances of having a nightmare:

- Food eaten prior to bed: Eating a meal just before going to bed can cause the brain to have an intense amount of energy. The brain is more active and this in itself leads to more dreams, sometimes nightmares.
- Sleep disorders: Some people who live with sleep disorders, especially narcolepsy are more prone to experiencing nightmares more often than those that do not. Those suffering from sleep apnea may also experience nightmares more often.
- Anxiety and stress: Going to sleep worrying can bring on nightmares. The hormones released during periods of anxiety and stress lead can lead to nightmares during sleep.
- Major life changes: Death, divorce, financial problems and other highly stressful life events can lead to nightmares in some individuals. This happens because dreams in general often have a direct relation to day-to-day life, even when they are not nightmares specifically.
- Illness: Some illnesses can cause high fevers, which can lead to nightmares and more intense dreams.

Often times, the nightmare is a deeply rooted, subconscious occurrence, caused by ignored feelings or deep disturbances. In these situations, dream researchers believe that one can attribute nightmares to unexplored feelings: