Sounds like the kind of thing that, if the people with nightmares know this, it could give them more nightmares.
For the last maybe 20 years, I rarely even dream, or rarely remember my dreams. But I'm also fairly accepting of, and reactive to, the reality with which I'm presented, no matter how dark the timeline seems to be. I don't know if these things are correlated though.
gnabgib•8h ago
I think I would separate nightmares (horror/death/being chased/night terrors) from bad dreams (embarrassed/uncomfortable/worry/fret/didn't enjoy).
We sometimes use the term _nightmares_ to describe both, but only the former causes a cortisol reaction (in the article).. the latter, which would include worrying about bad sleep or bad dreams doesn't cause the same response.
How do you know it caused a cortisol reaction? - Your heart is pounding, you're probably awake and probably have a hard time getting back to sleep. Your sleep tracker will show it too (if you have a ring or watch, your heart rate will visibly jump into your exercise range).
Worrying about sleep/lack thereof/bad dreams sucks, but it's not the same as nightmares.
Worth also mentioning - not everyone experiences/remembers dreams (which sounds amazing)
misterhill•3h ago
Do you have references for this aspect of cortisol? As far as I am aware our responses to social situations reuse fight or flight stress.
NoPicklez•7h ago
Interesting how I was reading an article yesterday talking about how cheese/dairy might give people nightmares, linked to GI distress and lactose intolerance.
It could be a factor that GI distress and food intolerances contribute to nightmares due to additional stress and inflammation within the body, causing premature mortality over the course of someone's life.
BLKNSLVR•8h ago
For the last maybe 20 years, I rarely even dream, or rarely remember my dreams. But I'm also fairly accepting of, and reactive to, the reality with which I'm presented, no matter how dark the timeline seems to be. I don't know if these things are correlated though.
gnabgib•8h ago
We sometimes use the term _nightmares_ to describe both, but only the former causes a cortisol reaction (in the article).. the latter, which would include worrying about bad sleep or bad dreams doesn't cause the same response.
How do you know it caused a cortisol reaction? - Your heart is pounding, you're probably awake and probably have a hard time getting back to sleep. Your sleep tracker will show it too (if you have a ring or watch, your heart rate will visibly jump into your exercise range).
Worrying about sleep/lack thereof/bad dreams sucks, but it's not the same as nightmares.
Worth also mentioning - not everyone experiences/remembers dreams (which sounds amazing)
misterhill•3h ago