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<\/figure><\/div>\n\nWhether it\u2019s being unprepared for an exam, realising you are naked in public, or having your teeth suddenly fall out, around 1 in 20 of us are troubled by recurring nightmares. As well as being distressing, these nightmares can negatively affect sleep and lead to poor health. Now, help may be on the way, as sleep scientists at the University of Geneva have devised a method of cutting down the frequency of bad dreams using sound therapy. <\/p>\n\n
Currently, those suffering from recurrent nightmares are prescribed \u2018image rehearsal therapy\u2019 \u2013 a form of treatment that involves patients changing the negative narrative of the recurring dream into a more positive one and then mentally rehearsing the scenario throughout the day. While this is effective in some cases, it doesn\u2019t always help. <\/p>\n\n
In an attempt to improve the effectiveness of the treatment, the researchers recruited 36 patients undergoing image rehearsal therapy. They asked half of them to listen to a soothing sound while going through their positive dream scenarios, then had them wear a headband that played the same sound to them as they slept. <\/p>\n\n
Both groups experienced a drop in the frequency of their nightmares, but the effect was more pronounced in those that were played the soothing sound. They also experienced more joyful dreams. <\/p>\n\n
\u201cWe were positively surprised by how well the participants respected and tolerated the study procedures, for example, performing image rehearsal therapy every day and wearing the sleep headband during the night,\u201d said lead researcher Lampros Perogamvros. <\/p>\n\n
\u201cWe observed a fast decrease of nightmares, together with dreams becoming emotionally more positive. For us, researchers and clinicians, these findings are very promising both for the study of emotional processing during sleep and for the development of new therapies.\u201d <\/p>\n\n
The researchers now plan to trial the sound therapy treatment on larger scales, with a wider range of individuals, to further establish its efficacy. <\/p>\n\n It all starts when you shut your eyes <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n NREM (non-rapid eye movement sleep); REM (rapid eye movement sleep)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Transition period between wakefulness and sleep <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Lasts around 5 to 10 minutes <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Body temperature drops and heart rate begins to slow <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Brain begins to produce sleep spindles <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Lasts approximately 20 minutes <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Muscles relax <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Blood pressure and breathing rate drop <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Deepest sleep occurs <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\nTHE FOUR STAGES OF SLEEP <\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nNREM STAGE 1 <\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nNREM STAGE 2 <\/span><\/h5>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nNREM STAGE 3 <\/span><\/h5>\n\n\n\n
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