What dreams may come ... or not
- posted: 13 Nov. 2007
- scrolllifestyle@byui.edu
Stumbling in the darkness, clutching a shoe and toothbrush, one arrives at his or her destination. But what was so important about bringing a shoe and toothbrush to the living room, again? Then it comes. Once again, the comfort of bed was left for a pointless sleepwalking adventure.
Nightmares:
Nightmares instill intense fear in the sleeper, causing him or her to awaken, usually at the climax of terror. These dreams, often experienced by children, are usually repeated and remembered with vivid detail.
Increased heart rate, sweating and anxiousness often accompany nightmares and make it difficult for the person to fall asleep again. Some may refuse to return to sleep for fear of having another nightmare, which leads to minor sleep deprivation. The main cause of nightmares is unknown, although it is connected to stress, mental disorders, trauma and certain medications.
Sleepwalking:
This sleep disorder, often triggered by stress or heredity, occurs when muscle atonia fails. During the REM stage of the sleep cycle, when dreaming occurs, the body suppresses all muscle movement to prevent itself from acting out dreams, which is called muscular atonia. Sometimes this fails, allowing the sleeper to sleepwalk and perform simple or elaborate tasks without full consciousness. If sleepers awaken before atonia ends, they may have hallucinations or a brief sensation of paralysis.
Sleep Talking:
Also called somniloquy, this activity can range from quiet muttering to outright yelling. Often the sleep talker has no memory of talking. Sleep talking can signal a deeper sleep disorder, as it means the sleeper may not be going through complete sleep cycles. Like many other disorders, sleep talking can be triggered by stress. 
