Random: Do you have nightmares?

Jess.O

Sorry if I've posted this before.  I kind of feel like I have but I don't remember. 

 I suffer from nightmares and I'm just wondering if anyone else does.  Sometimes, I wake up scared from them then can't get back to sleep because I still feel so scared.  I usually remember what they're about but not always.  DH told me that recently my breathing during the night (sometimes I sort of hyperventilate when I'm having them) that it woke him up and he had to wake me to calm me.  I don't remember that at all.  Anyway, I'm just so sick of this.  It makes me so tired the next day and I hate lying there in bed feeling so afraid. 

Anyone have any experience with something like this?  Do you have any suggestions for books or things that have helped? 

(BTW, I feel kind of crazy putting this out there.)

rssnlvr

I had one last night! I have them more frequently when pg, and the ones that really scare me and make me wake up are when I'm dreaming that I'm awake, in my home, and something scary happens. These are the worst b/c I can't tell I'm dreaming. If it's just a scary dream in another setting, they aren't bad b/c I know I'm dreaming and don't really get too worked up by it. But the ones where I dream I'm at home and something happens, 9 times out of 10 I end up yelling in my sleep to wake myself up. :-(

What's worked well for me is snuggling with DH and having him put his arms around me. That always makes me feel safer. I also do relaxation exercises and mental visions of my house (or our room, or sometimes just our bed) wrapped in a protective bubble that nothing "bad" can get through. That's something I've done ever since I was a kid. 

Xtina712

On average I remember 2-3 dreams a night and at least one is scary.  Someone is usually trying to get me.  I never know I'm dreaming until I wake up so it's always bad and I usually can't fall asleep for a bit either.  I try to avoid violent tv right before bed and that helps a bit.  I also refuse to watch scary movies.  When I took sudafed for my cold I didn't have any problems, but I don't think I can do that the rest of my life.  

thethomps

I do.  I had to stop watching Criminal Minds and Law&Order SVU because I'd end up having nightmares about whatever I saw on TV.  I also had to stop watching scary movies that were realistic - like The Mummy is totally fake but I've seen others where the stuff could really happen (serial killers, etc.)   DH snuggles and doggie snuggles help me to calm down.  I always say a little prayer after I've woken up from a nightmare.  And I do some deep, relaxing breaths so my body knows that everything is OK, that there is nothing to be worked up about.  So sorry - nightmares suck.

MrsAJL

I have night terrors.  When I was younger, I would wake up screaming. Now I tend to bolt straight out of bed like I'm running away from something. I will almost always turn on the lights and when that happens I seem to sort "snap" out of it. 

I used to have a really hard time going back to sleep after the episodes but not so much anymore.

My NTs are triggered by stress and anxiety.  If I'm aware of what's making me anxious while I'm conscious than my unconscious doesn't release that stress while I'm sleep (i.e. night terrors).

Sometimes I'll have classic nightmares, some that are so frightening that I can't go back to sleep.

One trick I learned to do was actually to tell myself in the dream that it was time to wake up. If the dream was getting very scary, I would say in my mind "Dream over. Wake up."  Sounds weird, but it works. I'd wake up, turn on my light and tell myself "Just a dream. It wasn't real."  Sometimes I'll read a little from a light/fluffy book or flip through one of my magazines to kind of put something on my mind that's not scary at all. 

Something else that one of the moms pointed out when her little one was having night terrors was to be sure to eat a snack with protein before bed. I don't know why it helps, but it seems to for people who have this problem. 

 

Taytee

No, but I suffer from frequent "Sleep Paralysis". I partially wake up but can't move and there's a sensation that someone or something is in the room. It's a horrible feeling and by the time I shake myself out of it, my heart is racing and I'm so scared I almost throw up. A couple weeks ago when it happened I actually had chest pain which really freaked me out. Even though when it's happening I almost know that it's not real and it's not dangerous, my body still responds and part of my brain is still terrified. Nothing so far has helped except trying to get more consistant sleep since sleep deprevation (and shift work) frequently makes sleep disorders worse. Does it happen more when you've taken a nap during the day or gone to bed late? Have you slept in on the weekend or otherwise altered your normal sleep routine when it is at it's worse? Does it go away on vacations when you can get unlimited sleep?

Some have hypothesized SP it's why some people think they have been abducted by aliens or even possesion (The Exorcism of Emily Rose). Sleep disorders can also be associated with Acid Reflux and mine is. I most frequently have the events between 2-4am  or 3am on the dot. Jesus was said to have died on the cross at 03:00PM, and that 03:00am is the negative reflection of this hour, and a mockery of the son of God. Medically, it's a combination of your hormonal shifts at that time, those shifts lead to body temp changes, empty stomach and what sleep cycle you happen to be in. I've heard some people with nightmares benefit from taking an antiacid before bed, as crazy as it may sound. I do tend to have less sleep paralysis when I'm good about taking my Prilosec.

More than you probably needed to know considering you're not having the same thing but just a few things to consider besides reducing any visual stimulation cues like scary shows movies etc. Do you know what time of the night your nightmares are at their worst?

SaraLouiseBride08

Jess, you've got a private message from me

Xtina712

Taytee:

Some have hypothesized SP it's why some people think they have been abducted by aliens or even possesion (The Exorcism of Emily Rose). Sleep disorders can also be associated with Acid Reflux and mine is. I most frequently have the events between 2-4am  or 3am on the dot. Jesus was said to have died on the cross at 03:00PM, and that 03:00am is the negative reflection of this hour, and a mockery of the son of God. Medically, it's a combination of your hormonal shifts at that time, those shifts lead to body temp changes, empty stomach and what sleep cycle you happen to be in. I've heard some people with nightmares benefit from taking an antiacid before bed, as crazy as it may sound. I do tend to have less sleep paralysis when I'm good about taking my Prilosec.

 This is helpful.  Mine are always between 2:30 and 3 and I could never figure out why and I do have frequent heartburn.

Jess.O

Taytee:

No, but I suffer from frequent "Sleep Paralysis". I partially wake up but can't move and there's a sensation that someone or something is in the room. It's a horrible feeling and by the time I shake myself out of it, my heart is racing and I'm so scared I almost throw up. A couple weeks ago when it happened I actually had chest pain which really freaked me out. Even though when it's happening I almost know that it's not real and it's not dangerous, my body still responds and part of my brain is still terrified. Nothing so far has helped except trying to get more consistant sleep since sleep deprevation (and shift work) frequently makes sleep disorders worse. Does it happen more when you've taken a nap during the day or gone to bed late? Have you slept in on the weekend or otherwise altered your normal sleep routine when it is at it's worse? Does it go away on vacations when you can get unlimited sleep?

Some have hypothesized SP it's why some people think they have been abducted by aliens or even possesion (The Exorcism of Emily Rose). Sleep disorders can also be associated with Acid Reflux and mine is. I most frequently have the events between 2-4am  or 3am on the dot. Jesus was said to have died on the cross at 03:00PM, and that 03:00am is the negative reflection of this hour, and a mockery of the son of God. Medically, it's a combination of your hormonal shifts at that time, those shifts lead to body temp changes, empty stomach and what sleep cycle you happen to be in. I've heard some people with nightmares benefit from taking an antiacid before bed, as crazy as it may sound. I do tend to have less sleep paralysis when I'm good about taking my Prilosec.

More than you probably needed to know considering you're not having the same thing but just a few things to consider besides reducing any visual stimulation cues like scary shows movies etc. Do you know what time of the night your nightmares are at their worst?

This is exactly how I felt last night!  I was frozen and scared to get out from under my covers.  This part doesn't always happen but at times it does.  Sometimes when I wake up I know I've been dreaming and I can calm down but others I feel like something is in the room so I don't want to get up. 

Thanks for posting all of this info.  It's helpful.  DH has told me numerous times that he thinks I need to see a doctor for it but I'm not sure.  I don't want to be stuck on medication. 

I don't know what time they usually occur because (okay, here's my crazy coming out) I'm scared to look at the clock.  I've seen too many scary movies (I'm sure part of the problem) that show something terrible happening in the 3:00 hour.  We only recently got a digital clock in the room and now it's only because it's on the DVR box.  I haven't really been good about keeping up with my diet or activities the day/evening before but they've been occurring more regularly lately so I'm starting to track that.  I'll try taking an antacid before bed, too to see if that help. 

Thanks for all of the input.  You guys have made me feel less crazy already.