Nightmares are basically scary dreams that tend to frighten and awaken both children and adults and also makes them afraid to go back to sleep. Nightmares usually occur during the rapid eye movement which happens during the latter part of one's sleep and hence are commonly observed in the early hours of the morning. In most children scary dreams and nightmares tend to sort themselves as they grow older. However in case of frequent nightmares, one may have to resort to psychotherapy or counseling which is useful in case of adults or children who are unable to appropriately convey their emotions and thoughts. Nightmare remedies also include rescripting; wherein the person who awakes from nightmares frequently is asked to slowly discuss what the dream was about so that the exact trigger of the frequent nightmares may be determined. Natural remedies for nightmares also include affectionate reassurance and gentle soothing. Another commonly used nightmare remedy is to use anxiety reducing techniques such as deep breathing as well as using some homeopathic remedies or natural calming herbal remedies. These are known to reduce fear and encourage sleep and thereby deal effectively in nightmares. Some natural remedies for nightmares which include homeopathic ingredients like Kali Phos, Aconite and Sulp. Whereas herbal remedies for nightmares in children may be addressed by herbs like chamomile and Passiflora Incarnata which are known to have a relaxing and calming effect. These have proven to be highly useful in case of nervous restlessness and sudden fright arising out of nightmares.
In some cases nightmares may also be caused on account of drug or alcohol use, adverse reactions to certain medications, anxiety, depression, sleep apnea, pregnancy, a physical condition such as fever and illness. stress is also known to be one of the common causes of nightmares in adults and hence stress reduction techniques also prove to be successful as complementary treatment for nightmares. The commonly used natural remedies for nightmares arising out of stress are meditation, yoga or exercise. In some people nightmares are genetic wherein there is a family history of nightmares and other such sleep disturbances. Nightmares can be a lifelong disorder in some individuals. However over a period of time with proper medical care and support from peer groups and family, there is an overall improvement in the severity of the symptoms. The key to treating frequent nightmares in both adults and children is to treat the underlying psychological factors causing the nightmares.
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