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Default Jan 05, 2020 at 12:25 AM
  #1
I've been having a lot of nightmares or night terrors lately. Some of them seem so real that it's hard to shake it off in the mornings. From time to time I will have to do some grounding exercises. I'm not sure what is causing the nightmares. Maybe dehydration. I wake up with a terrible headache and very thirsty. I check my blood sugar and it's usually in the 120's. So I don't think it is elevated sugar levels.

Anyone else dealing with nightmares? What do you do to help? My online T suggested I set a positive intention before going to bed. I keep forgetting to do that. Maybe I will today.

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Default Jan 05, 2020 at 04:19 AM
  #2
I am so sorry you are struggling with this, Deella. It bows. Historically, I do not remember any dreams. But since I have been so psychotic in recent weeks, I have started to remember quite a few. The last three days have been almost all nightmares, usually waking me up, once sobbing (about my mom's death long ago). I know nothing about dreams. Sorry.

I just had to breathe and try to work through it best I could. Posted about it and got some suport. Prayed. That's all I know to do.

Praying for you.

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Default Jan 05, 2020 at 04:45 AM
  #3
I'm sorry you're having nightmares too. Yes, sometimes I have to catch my breath when I wake up. My heart will be pounding. Sending good thoughts your way as well.

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Default Jan 05, 2020 at 03:52 PM
  #4
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Originally Posted by Deilla View Post
I've been having a lot of nightmares or night terrors lately. Some of them seem so real that it's hard to shake it off in the mornings. From time to time I will have to do some grounding exercises. I'm not sure what is causing the nightmares. Maybe dehydration. I wake up with a terrible headache and very thirsty. I check my blood sugar and it's usually in the 120's. So I don't think it is elevated sugar levels.

Anyone else dealing with nightmares? What do you do to help? My online T suggested I set a positive intention before going to bed. I keep forgetting to do that. Maybe I will today.
Whenever I have nightmares, I attribute them to my hormonal cycle, my mental health, any meds or supplements (yes, I know that sounds crazy but meds can cause nightmares), or my physical health. So, if I have a real doozy of a nightmare, I do my "checklist" to see what's going on with myself.

I like what your online T suggested. The less screen time we have at night before bed, the better. It's good to set an intention before bed. That gives your subconscious mind something to focus on while you sleep. That, or read a book, or drink herbal decaf tea. Or listen to classical music or just do deep breathing or yoga nighttime stretches. There's a slew of bedtime routines you can try, to help you relax.

STRESS
-When I lived in my elderly mother's empty apartment before her lease expired, I had nightmares almost every night. I attributed those to the psychological stress of having to withdraw from my early summer grad course, from moving her to a transitional nursing home before her real nursing home bed was available, from the mental stress of not working that whole year culminating into that last month at her apartment, out of fear of "where will I live" hence my thread here about my fear of becoming homeless.

ILLNESS
-When I get the flu or bronchitis, or my anemia gets bad, I have nightmares. If my thyroid levels get out of whack, I have nightmares. If I have indigestion, I have nightmares.

MEDICATION
-When i was on a bunch of different meds in the past 25 years, those meds gave me scary nightmares. Even antibiotics -- some of them, give me nightmares.
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Default Jan 05, 2020 at 04:08 PM
  #5
Something I've been doing these past couple of days is go to sleep with a guided meditation. I focus on just relaxing and then drift off. I think that's been helping. I plan to do that each time and see if that will keep the nightmares away.

I like the idea of some decaf tea to relax with in the evenings. I just bought some that I need to try. Maybe tonight.

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Default Jan 05, 2020 at 04:16 PM
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My go to tea is chamomile -- the loose leaf tea b/c tea bags have pesticides in them. Also, mint tea -- the loose leaf kind is very soothing.

Routine is good for the brain. So, doing that guided meditation sounds like a great routine you can keep up. I am the worst. I can't sit and meditate. I can only meditate when I'm moving or listening to industrial or tech music if I have to sit still.

If you have stress in your life right now (I haven't read your other threads yet) that could be why you are having nightmares. It's your brain's way of processing all the information that causes you stress right now.
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Default Jan 06, 2020 at 06:45 AM
  #7
Hi Deilla,

It might be a long shot but are you overheating while you sleep? Getting too hot? Because, for me, that's the thing which triggers my night terrors and sleep paralysis, even violent dreams. So, I try to make sure I'm not going to get hot while I sleep. It's something I finally deduced over the years, and, so I just keep an eye on that.

Also, I always keep a glass of water by my bed for when I wake up in the middle of the night, thirsty.
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Default Jan 06, 2020 at 04:00 PM
  #8
I just got a weighted blanket. I notice it makes me feel very hot. It could be that my temperature is affecting it. Maybe why I get so thirsty. It used to be my blood sugar that made me thirsty. But now my insulin keeps my sugar down. I could be sweating at night. Thanks, I'll try turning the heat down more.

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Default Jan 06, 2020 at 09:43 PM
  #9
I have always had crazy dreams . I usually have a few dreams a night. I remember them all and a lot of times think "Oh this would make an awesome book/movie", but then can't actualize them into words because they are just images and feelings. I also lucid dream a lot. I guess I kind of developed it as I was growing up because my dreams are so crazy.

I find I have dreams in the same place and I already know the layout of the place I am in. Lately I have had a lot of dreams where in one point of the situation I find myself drawing. I actually draw while dreaming (I am an artist) - it's pretty wild.

I guess I have bad dreams, but I would not call them nightmares - there usually is some point in the dream where sh** gets fuc***, but I guess I am so used to it that it doesn't bother me.

As Blanche mentioned, checking in with reality upon waking is a good thing to try if you are really terrified. My wife has woken me a few times asking me questions.
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Default Jan 13, 2020 at 04:29 PM
  #10
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Originally Posted by Deilla View Post
I just got a weighted blanket. I notice it makes me feel very hot. It could be that my temperature is affecting it. Maybe why I get so thirsty. It used to be my blood sugar that made me thirsty. But now my insulin keeps my sugar down. I could be sweating at night. Thanks, I'll try turning the heat down more.
Still getting used to my weighted blankie, but I am slowly easing into it. I now turn the AC on, even though it's January. It seems to help.

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Default Jan 13, 2020 at 10:45 PM
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@bpcyclist that's awesome that your weighted blanket feels better. Does the AC keep you awake though? Would a fan be quieter?
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Default Jan 14, 2020 at 03:15 AM
  #12
I don't have a big box fan at the moment and have always used those. Need to get my butt on amazon and get one. That would probably be ideal. Anyhoo, I am using the kitchen fan (I know, I know, probably not good for the kitchen fan) on full blast with the b-room door open, plus AC, plus weighted blankie pulled up pretty high now and it is pretty solid. Sleep remains a Greek Tragedy in the tradition of Euripides, but whaddareyagonnado?

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Default Jan 14, 2020 at 12:32 PM
  #13
Omg you crack me up!!

You are creatively solving your problem of being too hot. Just look on the bright side; you're not a woman so you can't experience YEARS of hot flashes that randomly attack you and can last minutes to hours. Don't waste your money on Amazon. Go on craigslist. Cheaper. Or, better is OfferUp. I love OfferUp. The sellers are vested and you can negotiate the price of their item.

Good luck with your weighted blankie!
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Default Jan 14, 2020 at 09:36 PM
  #14
Thanks. Never even heard of OfferUp. Have to look into that. I guess they have that here. I dunno. Will see.

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Default Jan 14, 2020 at 10:47 PM
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OfferUp.com is in every state. It's better quality merchandise and vetted sellers (so, a LOT safer than Craigslist).

Buy & Sell Locally - OfferUp - Buy. Sell. Simple.
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Default Feb 24, 2020 at 02:47 PM
  #16
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Originally Posted by Deilla View Post
I've been having a lot of nightmares or night terrors lately. Some of them seem so real that it's hard to shake it off in the mornings. From time to time I will have to do some grounding exercises. I'm not sure what is causing the nightmares. Maybe dehydration. I wake up with a terrible headache and very thirsty. I check my blood sugar and it's usually in the 120's. So I don't think it is elevated sugar levels.

Anyone else dealing with nightmares? What do you do to help? My online T suggested I set a positive intention before going to bed. I keep forgetting to do that. Maybe I will today.
I've been having similar problems with the nightmares and the description of the physical symptoms you're having are similar to my own as well. I wake up with a headache that's always on my left temple, I feel dehydrated, and I'm also sweating. The only things that helps the headache is a migraine pill or else it'll be there all day.

So far I haven't found a cure to stop all the nightmares, but before bed I try to repeat inside my head, "none of it is real, no nightmares tonight." Things like that. And I've found it helpful to make sure the room temperature is comfortable, not too cold or hot. If it's too cold, my nightmares feel worse and I'm shivering uncontrollably. Too hot, and there's that headache and night sweats.

Have you made any progress?
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Default Feb 24, 2020 at 03:05 PM
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Originally Posted by VanillaGhostie View Post
I've been having similar problems with the nightmares and the description of the physical symptoms you're having are similar to my own as well. I wake up with a headache that's always on my left temple, I feel dehydrated, and I'm also sweating. The only things that helps the headache is a migraine pill or else it'll be there all day.

So far I haven't found a cure to stop all the nightmares, but before bed I try to repeat inside my head, "none of it is real, no nightmares tonight." Things like that. And I've found it helpful to make sure the room temperature is comfortable, not too cold or hot. If it's too cold, my nightmares feel worse and I'm shivering uncontrollably. Too hot, and there's that headache and night sweats.

Have you made any progress?
Sorry you're having some issues with nightmares. Mine have gotten a lot better. I lowered my salt consumption and I think that has helped a lot. I'm not as dehydrated at night. I have odd dreams from time to time, but they are not troubling nightmares like they once were. I think that's a good idea to set an intention of sleeping well before drifting off to sleep. I wish you much success.

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