Usually there is a rush of relief when you wake up from a bloody nightmare, safe and in a somewhat sane world. Some wish it would stop, but others find it intriguing. There are many different classifications of dreams, ranging from nightmares to night terrors. They all occur at different times during your sleep and affect each differently. Nightmares are just dreams with scary stories and are extremely common and affect almost everyone at some point. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Nightmares occur during the rapid eye movement phase of sleep, which occurs at the end of the sleep cycle. In the majority of cases, this is usually not a serious problem. Frightening dreams are to be expected here and there, especially if we have witnessed or experienced something upsetting during the day. These bad dreams may be associated with poor sleep and slow daytime performance. However, recurring nightmares are the most visible symptom of post-traumatic stress disorder and are associated with other mental illnesses. A dream is a memory of mental activity that previously occurred during sleep. Sleep is divided into 4 stages which include: sleep onset, light sleep, deep sleep and non-rapid eye movement otherwise known as REM. This REM sleep typically occurs every 90 minutes during a night's sleep and is known to be associated with elevated brain activity, rapid eye movements, and suppressed voluntary motor activity. This can happen during all stages of sleep. Stage one and two dreams tend to be simple and short, very different from REM sleep. Although we have nightmares, there is one type of dream that tends to be even worse: night terrors. These “night terrors” are nocturnal episodes of extreme fear and panic that usually occur at the beginning of the sleep period. They may be similar to other wakefulness disorders that occur such as sleepwalking. These frightening dreams are more common in children and may diminish as adults. Adults who suffer from night terrors are more than likely to suffer from psychopathology, primarily substance abuse and emotional disorders. The best way to prevent nightmares is to practice good sleep hygiene, which will help prevent sleep deprivation. In some cases, medications may be used in conjunction with therapy to treat PTSD-related nightmares/terrors. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a Personalized Essay There can be a number of psychological triggers that cause these frightening dreams, medication for anxiety and depression can also be a useful tactic in trying to prevent this. There are many reasons why we have nightmares and post-traumatic stress seems to be the most important. People who have experienced major life-altering events are often haunted by fear and anxiety even while they sleep. There are even medications that disrupt different hormones and neurotransmitters that regulate REM sleep, leading to terrifying dreams. People suffering from psychological disorders are also prone to having nightmares. Have one of these..