![]() All we can do is understand that the monster’s intentions are malevolent. From a cognitive point of view, one interesting aspect of the presence of the supernatural being in a nightmare is that the dreamer cannot read the mind of the supernatural being. I mean monsters, creatures, demons, spirits, unusual animals, and the like. Nightmares very often involve supernatural characters that attack or target the dreamer in some way. Many nightmares do not cause you to awaken.Īnother distinguishing mark of the nightmare - besides the level of terror involved - is its content. ![]() Many scientists who study nightmares (me among them) argue that that official criteria need revision. McNamara: The official criteria define a nightmare as a frightening dream that occurs in REM sleep, causes the dreamer to awaken, and creates emotional distress. McNamara’s book covers a lot of ground, from cultural interpretations to biology to horror films inspired by our most disturbing dreams.īostonia editors, nervous types themselves, had a few questions for the author, who is also director of the Evolutionary Neurobehavior Laboratory at MED and the Veterans Affairs New England Healthcare System.īostonia: What makes a nightmare a nightmare? The result of his efforts, Nightmares: The Science and Solution of Those Frightening Visions During Sleep, was published last year by Praeger. The neurocognitive scientist and School of Medicine associate professor of neurology and psychiatry spent ten years researching and writing about them. Q&A SESSION CLOSED Click here to read Patrick McNamara's answers to readers' questions about their nightmares Unholy Spirits The author of a new book on nightmares talks about monsters, demons, and the fragility of the self | From Perspectives | By Art Jahnke
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