Nightmares are often a horrible experience. We all get them from time to time, from the very young to the old. They are often quite similar; running and not getting anywhere, screaming and no sound from our mouths, falling, crashing, missing an exam or important event, or losing all our teeth. Not to mention that old stand by of showing up somewhere...naked.
There are ways, however, to lessen our chances of having an nightmare. Nightmares happen during our REM sleep and we often remember them. Nightmares tend to occur towards dawn, rather than early in sleep.
We need to monitor our caffeine and alcohol usage. Coffee is a stimulant that can cause sleep deprivation, which in turn can cause nightmares that result from stress-induced fatigue. Chocolate is also a culprit for some. Alcohol is initially a stimulant but is actually a depressant. Drinking heavily may send a person to sleep quickly but it often causes them to wake up in the middle of the night and be unable to fall back to sleep. But the chemicals in alcohol can trigger nightmares. In fact, we should always avoid food or drink before bedtime because it triggers our metabolism and increases brain activity at a time when we should be decreasing it. Spicy foods late at night should be avoided, as well as sugary foods for children.
Smokers and those with sleep apnea tend to experience nightmares more than others.
Stress and emotional trauma are the main triggers for adults. Problems with work or relationships, an illness (which in itself can cause nightmares) or past abuse can lead to occasional nightmares for a lifetime. Therapy, meditation, yoga, a healthy diet, and a restful couple of hours before sleeping will help.
Establish a routine before bed. A warm bath, some easy reading, sex or your favorite show (that is hopefully not too violent!) will ease you into a relaxed routine for bed. No more than one glass of wine in the evening is recommended.
Some things we cannot help are nightmares when we are ill. Fevers tend to promote nightmares, in children as much as adults, and they leave once we feel better.
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Do you get nightmares? Are they frequent? What do you think triggers them?
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Add a Comment51 Comments
It has been 3 weeks already and cannot make the bad dreams go away. I have them every single night and so many different things none of them is even similar. Most of my dreams make me feel really bad the next day, I will try your tips and make a routine to see if it helps.
May 2, 2010 - 11:29pmThanks
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Im Molly, 23 years old from PA. I have been having horrible dreams that have no ryhme or reason. I've tried cutting out the caffiene gradually to where im not having any or just one cup a day but it seems to be making my dreams worse. I just woke up not long ago from one and i felt like the whole inside of me was just drained out. I was so weak and confused it scared me. So thats why i decided to google these bad dreams and came across this website. I think im going to try yoga or something relaxing to see if that works. But so far nothing else has. I tried not putting things into my diet like spicey foods, sugar, or caffiene, but that has not resolved anything. I exercise and walk daily, tried to sleep in a cooler environment and everything, and nothing has seemed to help me. I am wondering if it might be that I am a nurse and work night shift? but i have been doing that for awhile now and i definitely prefer the night shift, but maybe im just exhausting myself now that im getting a little older. I dont know, but i just wish i could have at least one peaceful night of sleep.
April 8, 2010 - 10:33amThis Comment
that does'ent work i try it but i still get nightmares
March 2, 2010 - 12:11amnow im scared of slepping, i wake up at 3.00 am and i cant get back to sleep i really need help!
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Anon,
Have you ever tried sleeping with the television or a talk radio station on? I know that when I can't sleep because my brain is running in circles, this helps me a lot. It is as if the television makes my brain settle down. I find a station where the sound stays low and monotonal, like the weather channel or cspan or a shopping channel. You don't want a channel with super-loud commercials that are just going to wake you up. The point is not to watch or even really listen to the TV, the point is that your brain stays a bit aware of it in the room and doesn't go to the dream or nightmare place as easily. Try it, it might help you.
March 3, 2010 - 9:58amThis Comment
Thanks for the share Susan. I hardly remember my dreams but during pregnancy I tend to have nightmares or odd dreams. Fortunately, I did read that as being common in pregnancy. At least now I know that if I do ever have nightmares that I can come back here and use this as a resource.
December 16, 2009 - 6:28amThis Comment
yes i still do have nightmares and im 25 i started in 8 th grade and they havent gone away i have tried everything imaginable. most of them includes things that happened to me as a yonger child and tramatic things in 6 th grade. No doctor can explain why i have had these for so long but i have done some test.......
please comment if you have any tips
December 15, 2009 - 10:49pmThis Comment
*DEZARE* I would like to know what you guys think of my dream...and if you think i need help!
November 17, 2009 - 8:49amThis Comment
Hi, Im Dezare', 20 from Illinois, I had a terrifying dream the other night and woke up crying, which I actually have nightmare quiet often and I wish I didnt I just want them to go away, I've always had nightmares since I was a little girl...they aint your typical dreams either, well at least I dont think so. But here I'll just tell you what it was about...it's not exactly short either lol. Well I Was riding in a car with one of my friends and she droped me off at this street corner and she drove off, which I thought she was coming back but she didnt, so...I was walking and come up to this bar, went inside and everyone looked really wierd like they were dressed up like black make-up all over their faces piercings all over the place, but I dont know what kept me in there cause I just stayed and keep walking through these creepy people. I came up to the bar and this man walks up to me and tell me "you dont want to be here"...once he told me that I turned around and walked off, when I did I came up to this guy which looked to be the same age as me, he started talking to me and he told me to follow him so I did and he took me to this room, and started to do stuff to me, and thank god it didnt show any of that in my dream....but afterwards I feel asleep and woke up..when i woke up I started to walk off and this guy had my 2 1/2 yr old kid in his arms sleeping with him...how wierd right?...dont even know the guy plus he's kinda creepy looking cause he's got all that black make-up and stuff on...but I started walking out the bedroom door and it was really dark...I could see like red lights coming from down stairs and people yelling, and screaming...I was soo scared I didnt know what to do so i Proceeded down the stairs cause I really badly wanted to get out of there..I came up to this door and there was this man standing by this contraption he's made which looks like a catapolt with spikes in the inside of the bowl where you launch things....well anyways he was standing in front of it screaming and he pushed this button and smashed his own head..the guy that was standing in front of him watching him ran to a bathroom and started puking...after I seen that I started running trying to get out of this place...and every room that ive passed there was blood everywhere and some of the rooms had people strapt to tables screaming wanting out...as I was running i had to go up and down multiple set of stairs, through walls that ive found from running into like secret doorways. As I was coming down these flight of stairs and came to this white wall, I went through it and came to this other door which I was sooooo releaved just of the thought it could be the outside....BUT...you just never know!!!....that's when I woke up
November 17, 2009 - 8:43amThis Comment
lol
September 27, 2009 - 4:52pmThis Comment
Hey. I was wondering if anybody could give me any advice. I have dreams almost every night which are frightening, sad or shocking. I hardly ever have recurring nightmares, but most of the dreams are quite similar in ways. I always seem to dream about losing a loved one in some way or being trapped in a really frightening situation such as an accident or being a victim of crime. I also often dream about people I used to know or be friends with who I have history with, ex boyfriends for example. The main simularity in all of my dreams is a feeling of despair, fear and almost as if the colour has been drained out of everything. It's weird because by day I'm a really happy person. I can't understand why my dreams are so messed up! These dreams have gotten worse sinse I moved house..Probably stress and trying to adjust, but they still aren't getting any better. Any advice? Thanks.
August 19, 2009 - 3:36amThis Comment