Combating Stress Dreams

[JustGeorge]

I've been quite stressed lately. There have been a number of things going awry lately. These things do happen from time to time, but, on top of that, I'm going on vacation in a few days.

Vacation has, to me, the same connotations as someone mentioning mandatory overtime. Except I don't get paid with a handsome paycheck at the end. Actually, I lose all my paycheck, and probably end up owing someone something... Vacation is 4 times the work with a quarter of the resources.

Anyways, it all has left me rather frazzled. When I have had enough, I go to bed. Well, I lay in my bed as my husband repetitively tells me stuff he sees on YouTube and the 8 year old bounces all over me(he will not go to bed until everyone, including his father, is laying down). But eventually, after the chaos dies down, I go to sleep and feel better in the morning.

Not lately. I keep having intense dreams... they're not nightmares, but just have a stressful feeling to them as well. So much so that I'll sometimes get up early just to avoid having to put up with them! But, that makes me even more tired... and even more stressed...

How can one help change the content of one's dreams so they are not disturbing on a consistent basis?

 

[dybmh]

How can one help change the content of one's dreams so they are not disturbing on a consistent basis?

I've heard or read somewhere that writing down dreams helps to clear them from repeating. Maybe it will help with your situation.

 

[ChristineM]

I've been quite stressed lately. There have been a number of things going awry lately. These things do happen from time to time, but, on top of that, I'm going on vacation in a few days.

Vacation has, to me, the same connotations as someone mentioning mandatory overtime. Except I don't get paid with a handsome paycheck at the end. Actually, I lose all my paycheck, and probably end up owing someone something... Vacation is 4 times the work with a quarter of the resources.

Anyways, it all has left me rather frazzled. When I have had enough, I go to bed. Well, I lay in my bed as my husband repetitively tells me stuff he sees on YouTube and the 8 year old bounces all over me(he will not go to bed until everyone, including his father, is laying down). But eventually, after the chaos dies down, I go to sleep and feel better in the morning.

Not lately. I keep having intense dreams... they're not nightmares, but just have a stressful feeling to them as well. So much so that I'll sometimes get up early just to avoid having to put up with them! But, that makes me even more tired... and even more stressed...

How can one help change the content of one's dreams so they are not disturbing on a consistent basis?

It never worked for me but in the distant and frightening past i was told to eat a banana, orange or nuts in the evening, good sources of B6 which is supposed to promote good dreams.

Exercise during the day and the difficult part, spend some relaxing (me) time before going to bed thinking pleasant thoughts.

I don't usually dream or more likely I don't remember my dreams. Though i do have the occasional recurring nightmare. In the past it was every night so i needed what you are looking for. Unfortunately only time sorted out my problem. Hopefully yours will heal up much quicker

 

[Twilight Hue]

I've been quite stressed lately. There have been a number of things going awry lately. These things do happen from time to time, but, on top of that, I'm going on vacation in a few days.

Vacation has, to me, the same connotations as someone mentioning mandatory overtime. Except I don't get paid with a handsome paycheck at the end. Actually, I lose all my paycheck, and probably end up owing someone something... Vacation is 4 times the work with a quarter of the resources.

Anyways, it all has left me rather frazzled. When I have had enough, I go to bed. Well, I lay in my bed as my husband repetitively tells me stuff he sees on YouTube and the 8 year old bounces all over me(he will not go to bed until everyone, including his father, is laying down). But eventually, after the chaos dies down, I go to sleep and feel better in the morning.

Not lately. I keep having intense dreams... they're not nightmares, but just have a stressful feeling to them as well. So much so that I'll sometimes get up early just to avoid having to put up with them! But, that makes me even more tired... and even more stressed...

How can one help change the content of one's dreams so they are not disturbing on a consistent basis?

I'd face the dreams. Develop an avatar in your mind and have conservations from time to time.

It's why I have talks with the universe.

 

[JustGeorge]

I've heard or read somewhere that writing down dreams helps to clear them from repeating. Maybe it will help with your situation.

Funnily enough, I right down some dreams, but I haven't done so with the 'stress dreams', because I hate recalling them! Maybe I'll have to give it a go.

It never worked for me but in the distant and frightening past i was told to eat a banana, orange or nuts in the evening, good sources of B6 which is supposed to promote good dreams.

Exercise during the day and the difficult part, spend some relaxing (me) time before going to bed thinking pleasant thoughts.

I don't usually dream or more likely I don't remember my dreams. Though i do have the occasional recurring nightmare. In the past it was every night so i needed what you are looking for. Unfortunately only time sorted out my problem. Hopefully yours will heal up much quicker

That's interesting. I'd never heard of the connection between B6 and dreams.

'Me' time before bed is impossible; actually, bedtime is often the most stressful time of day. The 8 year old goes bonkers, and my husband usually has a beer or three, and sometimes becomes quite childlike himself. He isn't usually quarrelsome, its just very overstimulating to deal with all these very noisy situations all at once..

Maybe that's why I'm having stress dreams...

I'd face the dreams. Develop an avatar in your mind and have conservations from time to time.

It's why I have talks with the universe.

You mean make up a 'face' for the dreams and talk to it?

 

[Wildswanderer]

I agree with exercise before bed, it's not a cure all but can help.
I have also used what some might call meditation, in my case focusing on a specific verse that I find comforting, and imagining myself in a sea, ( which represents God) sinking and breathing in the love around me.
I still very occasionally have stressful dreams.

 

[JustGeorge]

I agree with exercise before bed, it's not a cure all but can help.
I have also used what some might call meditation, in my case focusing on a specific verse that I find comforting, and imagining myself in a sea, ( which represents God) sinking and breathing in the love around me.
I still very occasionally have stressful dreams.

That sounds like a comforting meditation.

Glad your stress dreams are down to only occasional.

 

[Brickjectivity]

How can one help change the content of one's dreams so they are not disturbing on a consistent basis?

I think omega 3 supplements help, but these take weeks to start taking effect. Anything that keeps cortisol low might help.

Also its possible your sleep is getting disturbed. Leave a voice recorder on and next day skim the sound file at high speed. Are your breathing patterns changing in response to a nightly event that happens at the same time?

 

[JustGeorge]

I think omega 3 supplements help, but these take weeks to start taking effect. Anything that keeps cortisol low might help.

Also its possible your sleep is getting disturbed. Leave a voice recorder on and next day skim the sound file at high speed. Are your breathing patterns changing in response to a nightly event that happens at the same time?

My sleep totally gets disturbed. The cats wake me up a lot.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I've been quite stressed lately. There have been a number of things going awry lately. These things do happen from time to time, but, on top of that, I'm going on vacation in a few days.

Vacation has, to me, the same connotations as someone mentioning mandatory overtime. Except I don't get paid with a handsome paycheck at the end. Actually, I lose all my paycheck, and probably end up owing someone something... Vacation is 4 times the work with a quarter of the resources.

Anyways, it all has left me rather frazzled. When I have had enough, I go to bed. Well, I lay in my bed as my husband repetitively tells me stuff he sees on YouTube and the 8 year old bounces all over me(he will not go to bed until everyone, including his father, is laying down). But eventually, after the chaos dies down, I go to sleep and feel better in the morning.

Not lately. I keep having intense dreams... they're not nightmares, but just have a stressful feeling to them as well. So much so that I'll sometimes get up early just to avoid having to put up with them! But, that makes me even more tired... and even more stressed...

How can one help change the content of one's dreams so they are not disturbing on a consistent basis?

Sounds like you need to adjust things in your life more so than your dreams. Of course that's easier said than done, but I don't see the dreams improving unless your situation does.
It's not what you need more of, it's what you need less of (the stress).

 

[JustGeorge]

Sounds like you need to adjust things in your life more so than your dreams. Of course that's easier said than done, but I don't see the dreams improving unless your situation does.
It's not what you need more of, it's what you need less of (the stress).

Maybe I can go to bed in the morning when everything's simmered down.

 

[Quagmire]

Funnily enough, I right down some dreams, but I haven't done so with the 'stress dreams', because I hate recalling them! Maybe I'll have to give it a go.



That's interesting. I'd never heard of the connection between B6 and dreams.

'Me' time before bed is impossible; actually, bedtime is often the most stressful time of day. The 8 year old goes bonkers, and my husband usually has a beer or three, and sometimes becomes quite childlike himself. He isn't usually quarrelsome, its just very overstimulating to deal with all these very noisy situations all at once..

Maybe that's why I'm having stress dreams...


You mean make up a 'face' for the dreams and talk to it?

Can't you like, go sit in the yard or take the dogs for a walk? Sometimes just a little me time goes a long way.

Edit: summer nights just after the sun goes down tend to be pretty peaceful times in residential neighborhoods in my experience.

Edit edit: but take the dogs. I don't want you to get mugged and have to feel like it was my fault.

 

[JustGeorge]

Can't you like, go sit in the yard or take the dogs for a walk? Sometimes just a little me time goes a long way.

Edit: summer nights just after the sun goes down tend to be pretty peaceful times in residential neighborhoods in my experience.

Edit edit: but take the dogs. I don't want you to get mugged and have to feel like it was my fault.

At night, I'm on Ares duty. He starts going a bit nuts around 11pm... everything's funny and the practical jokes start up. I seem to be the only one able to handle the lad at these times... I could take the dog/s for a walk, but he'd come, too.

Ultimately, I feel blessed that when he does go out, he sleeps hard(a lot of parents with autistic kids aren't so lucky), and he sleeps until I get the excavator out the next day to remove his butt from bed. My 'me' time comes after waking due to that. I get an hour or so to myself. Sometimes the youngest wakes up, but he seldom gives me any trouble in the morning.

We're a bit shy of midnight here... Hubby's doing a drum solo on the drumset in what used to be our living room, Ares was running around stealing bags to take all his brother's toys away in and laughing hysterically, and the littlest found the remains of chocolate right after I gave him a bath. So, its a relatively quiet evening.

 

[JustGeorge]

I just realized....

After yapping about it a bit today, and reflecting a bit on the parts of the dreams I can recall...

The central theme in them tends to be some turd or the other who won't leave me alone. They're not aggressive or scary dreams... just stressful.

I wonder if figuring out why they're occurring will be as good as writing them down...