The Dark Side of Sleep: Bad, twisted dreams, or nightmares, are more than just late-night horror movies playing in your head. They’re vivid, emotional experiences that can jolt you awake, leave you anxious, and even affect your entire upcoming day’s mood. According to sleep scientists, nightmares are a natural part of the brain’s emotional regulation process , a way for your subconscious to process fear, stress, and unresolved emotions.

The Science Behind Nightmares

Nightmares usually occur during the REM (Rapid Eye Movement) stage of sleep, when your brain is most active and vivid dreaming happens. During REM, your brain consolidates memories and processes emotions. But when stress hormones like cortisol spike, the brain’s fear center, the amygdala, can go into overdrive, tu

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