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How the Cambodian Killing Fields Led to Nightmare on Elm Street
Are Killer Nightmares Real?
The short answer is no. You will not die in real life if you die in a dream. However, it's also impossible to know if one who died in their sleep also died in their dream. But many people, myself included, have had killer nightmares, in that we were killed in our dreams, but have lived to tell the tale. The myth that dying in one's dreams kills for real was perpetuated by Wes Craven's Nightmare on Elm Street.
A bit about dreams and sleep
Researchers are still trying to decipher what happens when we sleep. Clinical psychologist Rubin Naiman Ph.D. specializing in integrative sleep and dream medicine at the University of Arizona, views the human brain as a second gut. While we sleep, it digests the day's events and eliminates the fluff, and keeps the rest. The bit it keeps makes us, us. Research and testing have reinforced this view over the decades.
Neato-Burrito Dream Facts
WE DREAM ALL NIGHT LONG
Dreaming occurs the entire time we're sleeping, not only during REM sleep. We are more likely to remember the dream when we're in REM.
I HAD THIS DREAM…
If you remember your dreams, you are more likely to be sensitive to sounds both while awake and asleep, aka a light sleeper.
DREAMS TAKE PLACE IN REAL-TIME
The myth that dreams happen in a split second is just that, a myth. Most dreams run only a few minutes, but others can last 20 to 60 minutes.
GENDER AND NIGHTMARES
Nightmares aren't all about fear. A 2014 study of 331 participants found that many of our bad dreams stem from feelings of failure, guilt, anxiety, and sadness. The study also found that men are more likely to have nightmares focused on violence and physical aggression. Women’s nightmares focused on interpersonal relationship struggles.
