Bad dreams as an adult?

NervousHomeowner

Just wondering if anyone else has terrible dreams, even now as an adult? If so, how do you deal with them?

I keep having really terrible dreams and over the past 2 weeks, it has become noticeably worse. It is so bad that I often wake up still in the throes of the dream and either scream out or try to get out of the bed in an attempt to 'escape' whatever is in my dream. If my OH tries to calm me down, I often don't immediately realise that it is him and try to 'escape' from him too. I have always had the occasional bad dream but these seem so vivid and terrible that it's really affecting my sleep. The worst part is that it is also affecting my partner's sleep and he has to get up for work in the mornings.

I don't watch horror movies or anything scary (Bar Dexter ) so I don't understand where it is coming from. And I don't eat before bed or anything either, which I know is a common cause of bad dreams. I'm just at a loss as to how to make the dreams stop. Does anyone have any suggestions for dealing with this? Are there specific things that cause nightmares in adults that I can stop doing?

bagpussbear

What you are describing sound like night terrors - I have these. Though you often have no memory of what you are dreaming about. I've had these since a child. Have a google about them and see what you think.

Have you changed any medications (or started), or having lots of worries or stress at the moment?

I dabble in dream interpretation though, is there a recurrent theme?

Bennifred

I found hypnotherapy very helpful for this problem. :cool:

lemontart

Thankfully do not get them often but have been left in tears of panic for hours after waking with some - if i have had one I tend to leave a light on the next night when I go to sleep which for some obscure reason helps.

Dunroamin

I don't mean to downplay your problem, but it's probably the heat.

[Deleted User]

Ive had reoccurring nightmares... They tend to be when im drifting off to sleep rather than when im fully asleep, although I do get these to. Mine seem to be :-
A) a man face suddenly appearing right infront of my face out of nowhere, so much so I have to face the bedroom door so as to mayb stop it!!! How I don't know. This always happens when im drifting off to sleep.
Vivid nightmares about my children (although adults now). Goes back to when they were younger and there in somesort of trouble, ie been attacked, locked up etc and I wake up in a sweat crying my eyes out.
Ive found mine are hormonal for me, I tend to get these at certain times of the month.
I also always have the feeling theres someone behind me, its a bit nervewrecking (But I was stalked years ago, so that's why I presume I get that). Only indoors though, never outside, as if theres a presence in my home!!
I don't get these all the time, maybe once a month or less..

kingfisherblue

I have really bad dreams when I am over tired or when I am under a lot of stress. To deal with them, I try relaxation exercises and getting more sleep. If I can't get more sleep, then at least I know what triggers them..

beccals

Hi

I have had this pretty much all my life. I know how horrible it is, but there are a few things that you can try to help alleviate them. I have recently begun yoga which helps massively along with other exercise such as going for a long walk. I try to not eat too late at night and find that chamomile tea before bed can help too.

For me it seems to be a genetic thing as my Mum suffers from them too, though I'm sure this isn't the case for everyone.

Hope some of this helps.

valk_scot

I agree, it's probably the heat disrupting your sleep rhythms and making you more prone to these dreams. I always dream more vividly in hot weather and I remember them more too. Dreams are your mind's way of dumping a lot of junk so while bad ones are not pleasant at the time they're doing your mind good. Even if your life is very stressful and full of dark things it's better to dream the stress out than bottle it up. But if nothing else has changed to make life more stressful for you it's almost certainly your physical environment that's triggering them off ie the heat.

How about a fan for the bedroom, a light sheet to sleep under and some Bach's Rescue Remedy, or lavender oil under your pillow?

aileth

I agree re hot weather, I get some incredible nightmares when it's hot. Sometimes I'll wake up with such a start I'll fall out of bed in a cold sweat, and it always seems to be the same dream, just getting more and more 'realistic.'

Birdie85

I went through a period of having awful dreams when I was under a lot of stress. I was constantly tired because when I was asleep I was having such vivid, scary dreams that I'd wake up feeling like I'd been active all night!

I found that Bachs Rescue Night Remedy helped for some reason. A few drops before bed and I found that after a couple of nights the cycle of scary dreams had stopped. I got the normal 'day' Rescue Remedy for the stress which would have had a hand in it too, I'm sure.