...sleep. Some people dream nice dreams while others have what we call nightmares. Some people go to sleep scared because they think that they are going to have a nightmare. They wake up screaming bloody murder because they have just had a horrible dream called a nightmare. When it comes to the human mind, it is hard for us to know why it acts a certain way, but we can always try to learn a little more about it to make sense out of why we have nightmares and dreams. There has been a lot of research on nightmares and dreams it's impossible to list. Nightmares and dreams are complex subjects that many people would like to know more about. There are various theories about nightmares and dreams that physicians do studies on to prove their meanings. Learning what causes dreams and nightmares will give a person the knowledge they need to decide whether they need treatment for recurring nightmares and dreams. Some people experience nightmares and dreams and they have them during all stages of sleep. Dreams are defined as a recall of mental activity that has occurred during sleep (Pagel, J. F., 2000). Sleep can be divided in four stages. Stage one is called the sleep onset. This is the beginning stage of sleep from the time a person close their eyes. Stage two is called light sleep. This stage occurs when the person is sleep and still can be awakened by a sound or someone touching them. Stages three and four are called deep sleep. These stages occur when a person is having non-rapid eye movement (REM) stages. The REM sleep cycle usually occurs cyclically every 90 minutes (Hartman, E., 2001). Dreams can be associated with one not getting enough sleep and diminished daytime performance. It is said that everyone dreams, but everyone does not recall his or her dreams. Others claim that they don't dream just because they can't remember them....
