Night Terrors by Alice Vernon

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Night Terrors by Alice Vernon: Episode 2

Episode 2

BBC Radio 4 - Night Terrors by Alice Vernon, Episode 2

A discussion of sleep paralysis and its place in literature

A discussion of sleep paralysis and its place in literature - touching on the Salem Witch Trials and A Christmas Carol.

Alice Vernon often wakes up to find strangers in her bedroom.

Ever since she was a child, her nights have been haunted by nightmares of a figure from her adolescence, sinister hallucinations and episodes of sleepwalking. These are known as 'parasomnias' - and they're surprisingly common. 

Now a lecturer in Creative Writing, Vernon set out to understand the history, science and culture of these strange and haunting experiences. Night Terrors examines the history of our relationship with bad dreams - how we've tried to make sense of and treat them, from some decidedly odd 'cures' like magical 'mare-stones', to research on how video games might help people rewrite their dreams. Along the way she explores the Salem Witch Trials and sleep paralysis, Victorian ghost stories, and soldiers' experiences of PTSD. By directly confronting her own strange and frightening nights for the first time, Alice Vernon encourages us to think about the way troubled sleep has impacted our imaginations.

Abridged by Polly Coles
Read by Emily Raymond
Produced by Clive Brill
A Brill production for BBC Radio 4

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An investigation into the darkest part of our sleeping lives and all types of parasomnias.

Book of the Week. By confronting her own strange and frightening nights, Alice Vernon encourages us to think about the way troubled sleep has impacted our imaginations.

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Night Terrors by Alice Vernon

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