Far less sweet dreams for women

London, Sept 11 (PTI) Women experience far scarier
nightmares than men that leave more of an impression when they
wake up, a study has suggested.

According to the study at the British University of the
West of England, women experience far more terrifying
nightmares than men because of changes in their body
temperature.

"We found that women reported significantly more
nightmares than men," said Dr Jennie Parker, who carried out
the study at the Bristol-based university.

The analysis showed that only 19 percent of men reported
having a nightmare compared to 30 percent of women. Scientists
also said women dreams were also more emotional and leave more
of an impression when they wake up.

The study broadly categorised three distinct types of
nightmare: being chased or hunted; loss of a parent, child or
partner and weird and new environments.

Based on the findings of the research on 170 volunteers,
psychologists believe changes in a woman's body temperature -
result of the monthly cycle - are responsible for increasing
the number of vivid and disturbing dreams. A woman's
temperature usually rises after ovulation - half way through
the monthly cycle --and falls again just before a period
starts.

"Women who are premenstrual tend to dream more
aggressively, and they are also more likely to remember the
dreams," Dr Parker was quoted as saying by the Daily Telegraph
newspaper Thursday.

However, some experts argue that women don't have more
nightmares but are simply better at remembering and talking
about them.

"Women always remember dreams more than men," said Dr
Chris Idikowski, director of the Edinburgh Sleep Centre. PTI
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