How do nightmares affect the body?

A survey by the bed company Amerisleep (USA) of over 2,000 people found that falls, being chased and dying are the 3 most common types of nightmares, according to the website. health Healthline (America).

Nightmares can cause heart palpitations and temporary increase in blood pressure SHUTTERSTOCK

Dreams often occur during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. REM accounts for about 20% of all night sleep. During this stage, people can see both good dreams and bad dreams.

Because they occur during the REM phase, nightmares usually occur around midnight. People who see nightmares may remember their dreams in great detail when they wake up. Children between the ages of 3 and 6 are the most frequent subjects of nightmares.

Currently, scientists are still unable to explain exactly why nightmare reappeared. However, nightmares can affect emotions and cause physical effects on the body.

Nightmares can make your heart beat faster and hypertension temporary. They can also make us sweat more and breathe faster, Psychology Today quotes American sleep expert Michael Breus.

All of these responses originate in the amygdala in the brain. The amygdala is responsible for the human feeling of fear. It will trigger a fight-or-flight response to threats. When having nightmares, the amygdala will also be affected, even though the threat exists only in perception, not real.

Another interesting thing is that nightmares also affect muscle. During REM sleep, the muscles are immobile. But when it comes to nightmares, some people will react by waving their arms and legs, screaming, and expressing the same emotions on their faces as they did when they were awake.

Not stopping there, nightmares can still affect our mood even after we wake up and calm down. Studies show that people who have nightmares can rewind the episodes of the nightmare over and over again over a two-day period.

Usually, nightmares will not affect life. However, if you feel anxious or scared because of nightmares, see a psychiatrist or specialist psychotherapy. Using drugs as well as therapeutic methods can effectively help improve the current condition, according to Healthline.