How can I get to sleep when I know that disgusting and horrible nightmares are wating for me.....?

Question

I have terrible nightmares every night, I wake up with a soaked pillow and myself hyperventilating almost every morning. It takes at least 30 minutes for me to "right" myself and be able to do what I need to do, I have three kids, so mornings are always busy for me.

I am afraid to go to sleep, what can I do besides taking sleeping aids that knock me out so that I cannot get up in the morning?

Answer 1

Read some books about dreams. Try to pinpoint the exact reason why your having these dreams. You could be having them for several different reasons. Are you under stress? Try talking to someone. That might help. I've always had horrible nightmares. I still have them. It sucks. I hope I helped.

Answer 2

TRY NOT TO THINK ABOUT BAD THINGS AND THINK GREAT THINGS   PICTURE YOURSELF WITH  GOD, SOMEWHERE  YOU ALLWAYSED WANTED TO GO  OR THAT SPECIAL SOMEONE

Answer 3

Well it's probably the foods you are currently eating. I've always heard it depends what's in you diet that affects the way you sleep. I forgot where I heard that from but I used to have nightmares like 2 times a week and I hated them because they were soooo awful. I changed a few things in my diet of what I eat and I have only had one nightmare lately for the past year and a half. Try changing your food for a little bit and see if that helps. Hope I helped :)

Answer 4

I use to suffer from this for years. I honestly have to pray before I go to bed. I try to calm myself down by breathing and/or counting down. I think of pleasant things, the beach, flowers, baby animals etc. But please get a sleep study done the doctors can help you better. The sleep aids really don't work especially if you have children to take care of. Hope this helps. (My health care won't pay for a sleep study so you can imagine. But by doing what I wrote above has helped A LOT! I have to do it every night before I go to bed).

Answer 5

what is causing your nightmares? Some medications can cause nightmares. Claritin gives me nightmares. You think stress or anxiety? try to fix that if you can. remember-you can change your dreams! I learned how to do that. I tell myself I am only dreaming or what is happening isn't real. sometimes I can make myself wake up or I can even sometimes make the dream change what is happening. then I make myself think of the "do over" sounds wierd but it works.

another thing that has helped me alot is going to sleep with the TV on. sounds crazy but before -I would lie down to go to

sleep and start worrying about everything, but when you watch TV your not really thinking about all the stresses-your just laughing at George Lopez!

Answer 6

Hi ;) nightmares are often reflection of the thoughts you had during the day and going to sleep. Try to avoid reading a horror book or watching a violent movie a couple of hours before you go to bed. Try to avoid exercise and eating before you go to sleep. Try to go to sleep with pleasant thoughts. Maybe music or some relaxing reading could help.

Good luck!!!

Answer 7

You should talk to your doctor, and you might not go for this but meditation is a really good way to bring your mind and body at peace.  Yoga is also really good to help with your mind and if you have the time to do it, it is a great workout as well.  Meditation is really hard to do for the first few times but if you find someone that knows a lot about it and can teach you how to do it properly it really does work.  You could also stop watching scary movies and tv shows, also you could buy some relaxation/peaceful cd's and play them softly while you fall asleep.

Answer 8

Try to teach yourself how to lucid dream, so that you can redirect your nightmares to more positive places.

Answer 9

Okay, wierd as it is, I only have horrible nightmares when I sleep on my stomach, so try changing positions, and when you get nightmares, pray to God, it has helped me like you have no idea.

Answer 10

I went through the same problem last year; I'm still not sure what caused it, but I became a night owl for awhile.

Try to avoid watching frightening movies during the day time or reading any scary literature.  I've heard caffeine can cause nightmares and trouble sleeping as well, so try to cut back on soda, coffee and treats.  After you're done tucking your kids in, take 30 minutes to an hour for yourself to wind down.  Don't watch any TV or go on the computer; do something relaxing.  Take a lavender-scented bubble bath, read a calm book, and maybe have some milk or hot chocolate.  You could also start a diary of sorts; before you go to bed, write down all the troubling things that would normally keep you awake at night thinking.  Then when you go to bed, be particular; have a comfy pillow and make sure you're not too warm or cold.  When you close your eyes, keep them shut and try to relax.  If you have nightmares during the night, the next day write down all you can remember about them; it helps so much to get it all out onto paper.  I suppose you could also write them down after they wake you up.

Good luck; sleeping problems/nightmares are the worst and so tricky to get rid of.