Dreams and Dreaming 

Dream - from middle English dreem. A series of thoughts, images or emotions occurring during sleep. (Webster's Online English Dictionary).

Adults can usually recall dreaming usually every 3-4 nights. The dreams that we remember the most (and the most vivid ones) usually occur at the end of the night (during REM sleep). During non-REM sleep the individual is not usually capable of recalling his dreams descriptions are usually vague, poor and fragmented.

Dreams during REM are most visual than auditory and are often in colour. The dreamer feels odd when compared to reality, the dream is usually in sequence, the scenery tends to be familiar and the dreamer is most commonly the main character in the story.

Some clear differences between REM and non-REM sleep have been identified. If the sleeper wakes from NREM early in the night, he can recall only thoughts rather than dreams. However if the sleeper wakes up later in the night, the person can usually recall dreams.

Everybody dreams but not everyone can recall theirs dreams. This is due to the duration, the familiarity of the information and when the dream occurs. Therefore if the dreams happen during REM sleep, when EEG wave frequency is higher almost near waking frequency, the person will recall their dream.

Nightmares (bad dreams) usually happen during REM sleep, these usually have powerful emotional content, anxiety, terror, dread. They occur most commonly in children but they can occur in adults as well. Terror/fright are rapidly controlled.

Night terrors are arousals during NREM sleep, these generally occur at the end of the first sleep NREM cycle. There is poor dream recall, however the dreamer is partially awake, with intense fear, dilated pupils tachycardia and sweating. Children can also scream and cry, this can last up to 30 minutes.