Bad Dreams May Hold Good Advice
Dream Experts Gather At Tufts University
MEDFORD, Mass. -- What is your worst nightmare? You may be surprised to learn that bad dreams are not only common -- they are good for you.
All About Stress
Do You Remember Your Dreams?Everyone dreams, and dreams always mean something -- particularly the bad ones, according to experts.
"Yes, they're disturbing, but often bad dreams have valuable functions in the sense of reminding us of things we need to pay attention to, things we need to watch out for," dream researcher Dr. Kelly Bulkeley said.
In one study of more than 450 students, German researchers found those with the most stress have the greatest number of negative dreams.
"The dreams reflect what we do in waking life, and that's another example that the dreams incorporate the daytime stressors," dream researcher Dr. Michael Schredl said.
The research suggests that cutting down on the amount of stress you have while you're awake should decrease the amount you have when you're in dreamland. There is a difference, though, when nightmares come after a traumatic event, such as a divorce or death.
Harvard Medical School's Dr. Deirdre Barrett has been studying nightmares related to Sept. 11. She said that while most traumas are personal and hard to talk about, this one was felt by everyone and that may have helped chase away some bad dreams.
"There was this sense that everyone was concerned and there was a huge amount of social support and that often does help in getting traumatized people through it more easily," Barrett said.
Talking about your nightmares can help them go away, experts said.
Researchers suggest keeping a pen and paper by your bedside to write down your dreams as soon as you wake up. They said that those nightmares that jolt you out of a sound sleep are probably the most important -- as your brain is really trying to get you to pay attention to some aspect of the dream.
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