dream facts, part 2

" Rein in Nightmares - 3 ways to keep Freddy Kruger out of your bed:

1. DON'T DRINK: booze blocks REM sleep, which can up your odds of having night terrors - a sudden awakening, usually accompanied by screaming or sweating. "Dreams outside of REM can be full of anxiety," says Veronica Tonay, Ph.D., author of The Creative Dreamer. Re-cork the cabernet at least 4 hours before bed.

2. REWRITE HISTORY: happy endings aren't just in Disney flicks. At the moment a nightmare jolts you awake, you can easily alter its effects on you. "Writing down or just reimagining a new, positive ending may dispel some of the anxiety associated with the dream," says Alan Siegel, Ph.D. author of Dream Wisdom.

3. ANALYZE THIS: end a recurring bad dream by interpreting it. "When a client dreamed she was hurting babies, she was terrified it meant she didn't want kids. But a baby can symbolize a new direction in life, so it could mean she was nervous about a new project," says Michael Lennox, Psy.D., author of DreamSight (May 2008). "

This information is from the November 2007 issue of Women's Health, one of my favorite magazines. The very last page of each issue is called "The Average Woman" and each month it's all about women and one specific topic. This month it's "The Average Woman... and her dreams." Remember, part 1 of the dream facts (the rest of the information) can be found here.