Sleeping and Making NIghtmares Go Away
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Shadows Offline
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#1
Sleeping and Making NIghtmares Go Away
We are having trouble with sleep.

Usually we just wait until we are so incredibly, physically exhausted that the minute we lay down we fall asleep. But we also think that only sleeping a few hours a night is causing other problems. So we started trying to go to sleep earlier, but now THAT is hard.

We exercise plenty through the week. We try to limit caffeine, alcohol, eating late. Do breathing and yoga at night, journal, turn off electronics and white lights early, read something easy. But laying in bed and waiting to sleep is hard. And the nightmares are worse now that we aren't so physically exhuasted, which means we actually sleep through the night much less. I want to just go back to the old strategy of not sleeping but I'm also wondering if there is something else that I am missing to try?

How do you all deal with nightmares and not sleeping well?
08-18-2017, 11:38 AM
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The People Offline
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#2
RE: Sleeping and Making NIghtmares Go Away
We usually forget our nightmares. The ones we remember sometimes have memories attached to them. It is usually something weird or a sudden change in the dream that haunts us after we awake.

We find that going to bed early causes us to wake in the middle of the night and cannot get back to sleep. Years ago we noticed that we slept better if we fell asleep in front of the TV. we set the timer so it shut off automatically.

for months we just made a bed on the couch.

Eventually we got a TV for the bedroom. Sleep specialists would tell us we are doing it wrong but they don't know what it is like for the noise to start up as soon as we turn off the lights. It is like white noise.
I Am My Only Chance For A Hero!
08-20-2017, 02:48 AM
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Shadows Offline
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#3
RE: Sleeping and Making NIghtmares Go Away
People, I like the idea of a timer, I might try that. I just feel similar that the noise when I lay down makes things worse, too much happening all at once and then I'm even less likely to sleep. I tend to feel more rested when I trick my body into sleeping, rather than planning it - maybe less time and less opportunity for others to get in the way?
08-22-2017, 05:04 AM
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nats Offline
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#4
RE: Sleeping and Making NIghtmares Go Away
we have had periods of sleep difficulty and several family members regularly struggle a lot. it seems to be a combo of things you can control (e.g. diet, lots of exercise) and things you can't (e.g. certain types of stress, tinnitus), so adjusting the things you can control and reducing your anxiety about the things you can't is what works best. obviously, easier said than done...
Blush Learn how to manage conflict, because the greater the level you can tolerate, the more freedom you will retain - E. Walsh Smile
08-22-2017, 06:00 AM
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The People Offline
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#5
RE: Sleeping and Making NIghtmares Go Away
Exactly Nats. What works for me isn't the answer for others. I fell on it by accident early in my recovery. I noticed how easy it was for me to fall asleep in front of the TV yet when I shut it off and went to bed I would be wide awake. I choose something that I know won't be too loud. I now have PVR on the TV so I will save things to there that are quiet.
I Am My Only Chance For A Hero!
08-22-2017, 08:17 PM
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Shadows Offline
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#6
RE: Sleeping and Making NIghtmares Go Away
I am trying to figure things out about sleep. I think the nightmares are the worst. Mys I think sometimes when we wake up its a little one in charge, and it takes a while and a lot of confusion to get me or another adult back in charge so we can actually go about life and get to work. Maybe I'm confusing that confusion with tiredness?
08-25-2017, 12:55 PM
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