There is also the spiritual component. In some cases nightmares are more than just troubling dreams... they are (I believe) real "ideas" that are given/sponsored by the Devil, Satan. I would recommend the book
Regaining Surrendered Ground from Jim Logan at ICBCI. Some of the ideas are sortof from the Christian Life Movement (Watchman Nee) which I think is confused at best... but Logan's book is really great in the practical aspects.
I always (every single night since I have had kids...) pray for my kids before bed like this, "God I ask that you would set angels around [names of children] to protect and minister to them in the night. I ask that you would place a hedge of protection around the room, the house, and the property. I pray that you would bind and rebuke all powers, principalities, rulers of darkness, and spiritual wickedness with respect to these children. I pray that your Spirit would speak to them in the night, giving them beautiful dreams, knowledge, wisdom, and understanding. I pray these things in the name and the blood of Jesus Christ... Thank you, Amen."
Asking for Angels as protectors concept:Exd 23:20 Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared.
2Ki 19:35 And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they [were] all dead corpses.
Mar 1:13 And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him.
Act 12:7 And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon [him], and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from [his] hands.
Asking for a Hedge concept:Job 1:10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.
Isa 5:5 And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; [and] break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down:
Asking to rebuke spiritual enemies concept:Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places].
Col 2:15 [Jesus] having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
Spirit of God giving dreams concept:Joe 2:28 And it shall come to pass afterward, [that] I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
[other spirit's can give dreams as well] Deu 13:1 If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
ConclusionI am not saying that this is a complete Bible Study on the concept... but this does give a start for the study.
Sometimes my kids still have a bad dream of some sort... a couple of times I have actually heard my 4 year old praying that Jesus would take away a bad dream and replace it with truth (another thing I pray after one has had a bad dream). My kids do not have many bad dreams... I think this is why... although I do not deny that there can be other environmental factors as well.
--gabe
[PS: If you are looking at ICBCI's book list, I thought that Mark Bubeck's books were not very practical... kind of religious... just my opinion]