posted
This happened to me last year, as I recall, and it was brutal. And it's been happening again for the past week or so.
I'm dreaming too much.
Actually, I don't know if I'm dreaming more and waking up after many of them, or if I'm just waking up more, and it feels like I'm dreaming more because I remember having a dream each time I wake up.
The dreams are vivid. I'm conscious in them. I think about things. I ponder. I correct myself. It's not like most dreams, where things just happen. They feel extremely real while they're happening.
And it's bloody exhausting. I am whipped. I fall right back to sleep after waking up, but I'm waking up briefly every couple of hours, and it's just not restful at all.
I tried taking some Simply Sleep, which I had in my medicine cabinet from the last time this happened. Unfortunately, I'd forgotten how "well" that worked last time. And just like last time, all it did was make me sleep longer and have more dreams. It wasn't any more restful.
I know dreams are supposed to be important, but they're really bugging me. Can no one rid me of these troublesome dreams?
Posts: 12266 | Registered: Jul 2005
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posted
It's strange you brought this up, because I've had the same problem. Actually, I've had it for years but before my son was born, I could sleep longer to make up for the tiredness.
I've been thinking about going to a sleep clinic. Most cities have them. Maybe you could talk to your doctor and/or find one of them.
Posts: 2392 | Registered: Sep 2005
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posted
Wow, me too. Just in the past two weeks I've been dreaming like crazy. Every night. Dream after strange, vivid dream. I forget most of them hours later, but I recall the experience.
I'm actually enjoying it. I used to dream a lot more when I was younger. These last couple of years have been extremely dry, with only the occasional impactful dream. Also, I haven't been feeling exhausted during the day as a result, though I have been taking naps more often.
Posts: 1855 | Registered: Mar 2003
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posted
Is the problem the dreams themselves, or the waking up constantly? If it's the waking up, you might want to think about employing some lucid dreaming techniques. This...
quote:The dreams are vivid. I'm conscious in them. I think about things. I ponder. I correct myself. It's not like most dreams, where things just happen. They feel extremely real while they're happening.
...made me think that you might have some control over yourself while dreaming, and there are some things you can conciously do while dreaming that may help you remain asleep.
I dunno, it might not help at all, but I was looking around at some lucid dreaming websites and found this page. I don't know if any of their tips would help, but it couldn't hurt to look.
Posts: 2596 | Registered: Jan 2006
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posted
I think it's most effective to identify the issue the dreams are energized by, and resolve it. Until that happens, you might change your sleep schedule. Go to bed early or later, get up early or later.
Posts: 1877 | Registered: Apr 2005
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posted
Thanks for the suggestions. The lucid dreaming thing probably won't work, because while I'm conscious in these dreams, I'm not actually aware that I'm dreaming.
I may try calling a sleep clinic, though.
Posts: 12266 | Registered: Jul 2005
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posted
I think the waking up is causing the dreams. We all dream a lot every night, its remembering them that is not common every day. I've noticed I remember my dreams a lot more when I wake up in the middle of the night. I definitely think there is a connection.
posted
Well, my other suggestion was going to be to drink a handle of bourbon before you go to bed. That should take care of things.
Posts: 2596 | Registered: Jan 2006
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posted
Every once in a while Ill enter a weird phase where just before I go into sleep my eyes will suddenly open and Ill see everything in the room swimming around. I am totally conscious of the fact I am drifting into a dream and can consciously try to influence the direction of the dream before my eyes close and I fall asleep, the effort never works and my thoughts do not influence what happens next (at least I cannot see any difference.)
These "swimming room" moments can sometimes be very terrifying, Ill be seized with a sense of "There is something else in the room." If I forcibly tell myself in my mind that I am just falling asleep, (and I am quite capable of this.) I calm down and drift finally off to sleep.
Lisa: Look into a sleep clinic, that's really the best advice, they could probably advise you on some dream suppressing techniques.
I have found that stress once it passes a certain threshold does increase my instances of dreams quite significantly. The stress of these dreams can be a self perpetuating cycle. Try your best to go to bed fully expecting a good night's sleep, as I am sure you have had them many times before.
Posts: 14316 | Registered: Jul 2005
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posted
The same thing happens to me on occasion. When it does happen, it is because I am either sick, about to get sick, or just over being sick.
Posts: 1766 | Registered: Feb 2006
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posted
1.) Don't eat before bedtime. You should have nothing in your stomach, not even a snack, at least three hours before bedtime.
2.) Make sure you are the right temperature. Your bedcovers should neither be too hot nor too cold. Either will cause you to become uncomfortable and wake up in the night. When the discomfort is nearing the threshold between waking you and being asleep, you are very likely to dream.
3.) I love to read before bed, but it is not a good idea. It stimulates the mind and causes restless sleep and dreaming.
4.) Stay off the computer just before bedtime. Again, it agitates and stimulates the mind. Leave those last minute newsgroup posts until some other time.
Television on the other hand is very mind numbing and is not likely to cause the same problems as computer use.
5.) Clear your mind before going to sleep. Try deep breathing. While you are deep breathing if thoughts come, as they naturally do, put them aside for now, and let your mind go blank.
You've heard the expression "I'll sleep on it" meaning you with think about something and have a decision tomorrow. Well, you can actually think and resolve problems while you sleep, but it doesn't make for very restful sleep, so don't do it. (see #3)
6.) For the most part, keep a fixed bedtime and a fixed waking time, and therefore, a fixed amount of sleep. If you sleep too much or too little, or your schedule is too irregular, you will have restless sleep and dreams.
7.) Consider whether there is any turmoil in you waking life; kids, relationships, job, etc.... Subconscious worrry about things like this can invade your sleep. Resolve this turmoil in you waking life while you are awake, so your mind doesn't have to wrestle with it while you are asleep.
quote:Originally posted by BlackBlade: Every once in a while Ill enter a weird phase where just before I go into sleep my eyes will suddenly open and Ill see everything in the room swimming around. I am totally conscious of the fact I am drifting into a dream and can consciously try to influence the direction of the dream before my eyes close and I fall asleep, the effort never works and my thoughts do not influence what happens next (at least I cannot see any difference.)
These "swimming room" moments can sometimes be very terrifying, Ill be seized with a sense of "There is something else in the room." If I forcibly tell myself in my mind that I am just falling asleep, (and I am quite capable of this.) I calm down and drift finally off to sleep.
Weird. The same thing happens to me sometimes, complete with thinking there are other people in the room or just outside of it (and they're always discussing me in some unknown language). I've never tried telling myself to go to sleep, though. I always try desperately to wake up, and am terrified when I can't easily do so.
For the most part, the only time I have dreams like Lisa describes is when I have a high fever.
posted
The idea of totally clearing your mind to sleep seems strange to me. I can pretty much only sleep if I'm pondering/daydreaming about something.
I had an issue with waking up very often and having vivid dreams just a couple of weeks ago. I ended up doing some really vigorous exercise (just once did the trick, actually). On top of that, I now have a much busier schedule, so I sleep like a rock.
Do you think you're getting a cold? I start getting weird dreams when I'm about to get a cold.
But I was afraid finding links for "Going Dreams" would increase the odds of me waking up in a puddle of my own urine.
Posts: 5264 | Registered: Jul 2002
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posted
It's not much, but after talking about some particularly vivid dreama that I'd been having a friend of mine recommended that I write my dreams down in a dream diary.
They stopped.
I think it's called Murphy's law...
On the other hand, I find that my most vivid dreams occur when I'm in relatively light sleep - either after being disturbed or in the eternity between the time I wallop the snooze button and when the alarm goes off again. Just my 2p.
Posts: 892 | Registered: Oct 2006
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posted
One additional Point I forgot to add to my list.
8.) Ease up on the caffine. No coffee, tea, or sodas after 4:00pm. Cut back on caffine during the day. Even if you are able to sleep, the caffine makes for restless sleep.
posted
Lisa, I went through a period where I had really horrendous dreams every night that I remembered. I ended up doing a combination of two things: the occasional prescription sleep aid, and saying to myself every night before I went to sleep, "Tonight I will have a long, peaceful, dreamless sleep." The former I used only a very few times, and I see it didn't work for you (though you might try a different drug). It may not work for you, but now I rarely remember my dreams, and when I do, they're not nightmares.
Posts: 4077 | Registered: Jun 2003
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posted
I've found that a REALLY SLOW book actually helps me. Currently the book on my bedside table is an old (1920's) didactic commentary on the Old Testement. Two or three pages will settle my mind for the duration.
Posts: 1167 | Registered: Oct 2005
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