i have been having nightmares again on the meds they slowed down to where it would be *waking* up once a week [doesnt mean i may not have had them and not remebered about them] , now i cant remeber if i just slept through them becuase the meds or whatever but i have been having nightmares about 3 times a night [ sometimes more sometimes 2 but 3 is the most common number ] and i am worried about sleep schedules i used to sleep barely at all becuse of 2 things : 1) i didnt feel like it was important 2) nightmares i think nightmares may be the major reason secretly in my mind but idk . but my nightmares consist of someone getting hurt and me not being able to do anything [ usually a family member or friends ] ; or me hurting someone . now basically this thread is asking for advice on sleeping . how can i sleep through nightmares or how can i go without having them ....... they only recently started coming back [ like its been about a week or two ]
Well, I don't know if this will make a difference if the nightmares are from medications, but what worked for my sister when she used to have a lot of nightmares was to let some calming music play as she was falling asleep. She'd even keep the CD on repeat all night if necessary. She always used to listen to either The Sound of Music soundtrack or a Celtic Women CD. Try to find something that makes you feel at peace and it may help. You may want to consider talking to a counselor or something about the subjects of those nightmares. Repeated dreams about one specific subject usually means something's up.
i already watch sound of music and phantom of the opera and sweeny todd every night to go to bed and i still have them .... i even tried classical music but i still found the best solution was , well , not sleeping . but i need to stop the way i was living and live a new way so i am going to sleep more but i dont want to keep having nightmares , i was wondering if anyone had any tips , Thank you very much though leon ...... ill try a new playlist maybe .
I always had a lot of nightmares. What helps when I'm going through a time where I have nightmares every night is to have a long and calm time before going to bed. I'm having a shower (not too hot) with relaxing soap. Often I do myself a shampoo to "wash the bad thoughts away" (as ridiculous as it sounds, it helps). Then I'm going to bed and try to read (something not too intense, no thriller, not even romance, more like chick lit, or magazines) with not too much light on for a little while. And then I'm listening relaxing musique (the more effective I have found are musics designed for sleeping, I have a CD called Deep Sleep and another one called Anti-stress, both of them being quite effective). If necessary I'm having recorded relaxation session on my i-pod, and I do one before sleeping. The main idea being to create the most favorable ambiance to fall asleep and to try to focus on positive and happy thoughts before going to bed. When i'm feeling very anxious, I sleep with a night light, it helps too. I hope some of this could be usefull to you. Take care (*hug*)
I recently started school last Monday and was SO incredibly stressed and depressed because of all the work load that I had nightmares for two nights in a row...and I NEVER have nightmares. Music always helps!
should i stay up all night until i get a handle on my nightmares ? or what should i do . nothing will be a instant fix but what should i do in the mean time ... should i cut down on sleeping time or should i try to sleep and wake frequently ?
Don't stay up all night, it's not going to solve the problem. A lot of people with your history have nightmares, and while it is disruptive, the best solution is to work through your feelings in therapy. You can take melatonin, 5HTP, and/or valerian root if you want something that's gentle, safe, and non habit forming that will reduce anxiety and help you sleep. Your sleep is crucial to your schoolwork and to your health and growth, as well as your emotional state. Even if you wake up over and over, you're still getting sleep; the fact that you're having the dreams shows that as you can only dream in REM sleep, the most restful type of sleep. I know it's tough but hang in there.
I don't know if it will help you, but instead of music try one of those cd's with nature sounds, like birds, rain, etc. they're usually very calming.
