Have your nighttime dreams been filled with monsters and other shady characters lately? Are you awakening soaked in sweat from frightening nightmares? Nightmares are a fairly common sleep occurrence, particularly in children, but if they become too frequent they can rob you of a good night's rest and leave you with daytime sleepiness and even fear of going to sleep. Here's how to stop having nightmares so you can restore tranquility to your bedroom:
Consider your medications
Certain medications can increase your risk of having vivid dreams and nightmares. Some classes of medications that are notorious for this are anti-depressants, antihistamines, and Chantix, the medication used to aid with smoking cessation. This is by no means and inclusive list. A variety of other medications can also bring on disturbing dreams. If you've started a new medication recently, let your doctor know that you're experiencing nightmares and see if he can switch you to an alternative treatment.
Watch your caffeine intake
Caffeine is another drug that can increase your susceptibility to nightmares. If you can't avoid caffeine entirely, don't use it within six hours of your normal bedtime. Keep in mind that caffeine is found in a variety of forms including green, white and black teas as well as chocolate and soft drinks. Certain over the counter medications such as headache remedies also have added caffeine. These should be avoided before sleep.
Modify your stress level
High levels of stress can cause sleep disturbances such as nightmares. While you can't always alter the events that bring on stress, you can modify your reaction to them.
To stop having nightmares, try using stress reduction techniques such as meditation and regular exercise to reduce levels of stress that may be affecting your sleep. If you have specific problems you're trying to deal with, talk about them with someone. This can help to reduce the power they have over you. It can also help to play soft, new age music at bedtime. This not only reduces stress but creates a peaceful setting for sleep.
Stay well rested
If you're depriving yourself of sleep at night by sleeping six hours or less, you may be setting the stage for nightmares. Most nightmares occur during periods of REM sleep. When you're chronically sleep deprived, your body may spend more time in this stage of sleep which can make you more likely to experience nightmares. Try to get at least seven hours of sleep on a nightly basis to help reduce your frequency of nightmares.
Write in a dream journal
Get a notebook and start keeping a regular dream journal. When you have a nightmare, write down any details you can remember. Over several weeks, look for commonalities between your nightmares. Is there a recurring theme relating to some aspect of your life? This may indicate an unresolved problem you need to address.
Think pleasant thoughts
To stop having nightmares, spend ten minutes visualizing pleasant thoughts before bedtime. What you think about before sleep can subtly influence your dreams. This really works for some people.
Don't let bad dreams deprive you of much needed sleep. A few simple changes may be all that's needed to stop having nightmares on a nightly basis.
