This article is about the ways to stop having nightmares. Sometimes you wake up in the middle of the night, scared and sweating. This is the problem that you are facing due to having bad dreams or nightmares. The medical term used for nightmare is Parasomnia. Nightmares are the dreams which are disturbing, terrifying or scary. They bother you during sleep. Nightmares are the result of sleep disorder. When you sleep, your brain doesn’t stop working. Your brain goes through many sleep stages such as REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep. During REM sleep, your eyes move under your closed eyelids and you have dreams which can be scary or terrifying. Nightmares are experienced by almost everyone, especially girls. It usually begins before the age of 10. Having nightmares can lead to mental stress and tiredness. Nightmares are caused different reasons such as some medications like antidepressants and narcotics, having a late night snacks, stress, anxiety and alcohol. Due to these nightmares, you are not able to sleep properly. You are scared and soon you lose your temper. But do not panic. Nightmares can’t harm you as they are not real. Now it is important to stop nightmares but how? We are going to discuss the best ways to stop having nightmares.
Symptoms of Nightmares:
- Feeling scared, anxious, angry and sad.
- Not able to sleep
- Your dreams seem real and vivid.
- You feel sweaty.
Causes of Nightmares:
- Illness or Fever
- Stress, Anxiety or Depression
- Scary movies, books or video games
- Alcohol or Drug Abuse
- Sleep Apnea
- Medications such as narcotics and antidepressants
- Munching snacks before going to sleep
Best Ways to Stop Having Nightmares:
Contents
Here are some useful tips which helps to stop having nightmares.
1.) Medications to Stop Having Nightmares
If your nightmares are the result of sleep apnea or sleep disorder then treating these conditions with meditation can help to reduce nightmares. If your nightmares are related to depression, anxiety, then certain types of medications or therapy will help to combat these problems and stop having nightmares. “Prazosin” is a drug which is often prescribed to treat patients with anxiety and panic disorders and also stop nightmares. You should speak to your doctor about the treatment which is best for you.
2.) Reduce Stress to Avoid Nightmares
Stress also contribute nightmares. So you need to relax throughout the day and set the aim to go to bed with a clear and calm mind.
- For relieving stress and clearing mind yoga and meditation are the good activities. So do yoga and meditation daily in the morning.
- Reading, running and knitting are the activities which you can do to reduce stress. Taking a hot shower can also help you to relieve stress and keep you calmer and more relaxed.
3.) Improve Your Sleep to Stop Having Nightmares
Nightmares may cause a sleep disorder. So by improving the quality of your sleep you can prevent nightmares.
Here Are the Steps to Improve the Sleep:
- Keep your bedroom neat and clean. Make sure that it is dark enough and avoid temperatures that are too cold or too hot. Bed should be comfortable.
- By doing physical exercises, you can improve your sleep. Do exercises like strength training, running, dancing and workout 3 to 5 times a week.
- Avoid caffeine, alcohol and nicotine intake as these can interrupt your sleep. Try to avoid smoking, drinking or consuming caffeine 3 to 4 hours before going to bed.
- Try to sleep on time.
4.) Don’t Read or Watch Scary Stuffs to Stop Having Nightmares
Bedtime is the only time that we really love. Reading or watching something scary before going to sleep could impact your dreams and sleep. So, if you are suffering from bad or terrifying dreams then try to avoid the scary things before going to sleep. If you do this then you will surely get better results.
5.) Talk to Someone About Your Dreams
Talk to someone who you trust and explain about your dreams. Tell everything about your dreams like why and how they scare you. You will feel better when you share your feelings. If you do not find an ear to hear your problem then you can also maintain a dream journal, to keep track of your dreams.
6.) Herbal Tea to Stop Having Nightmares
Having herbal tea like chamomile tea before going to sleep is very beneficial for nightmares. It works as a stress reliever. So make a chamomile tea by adding 1 chamomile tea bag or chamomile leaves in a cup of warm water. Allow it to steep and drink this chamomile tea for better sleep.
7.) Do Not Eat Before Sleep to Stop Having Nightmares
Eating before going to sleep can lead to nightmares. Food helps to speed up your metabolism and sends signals to the brain to become more active. So, avoid bedtime snacks especially those that are rich in sugar. Moreover, try to eat your dinner 2 hours before going to bed. 2 hours are enough for digestion. For spare result you can take a hot shower before going to the bed.
8.) Consult a Doctor to Stop Having Nightmares
If you are not getting relief from the above methods then you need to speak to a doctor. Avoid anti-depressant and blood pressure medications which are responsible for causing nightmares. Sometimes change in dosage also causes nightmares.
9.) Use Aromatic Oils and Fresh Flowers to Stop Having Nightmares
According to a recent study, it is found that if you infuse aromatic oils and place fresh flowers in your room then you will have a sound sleep devoid of nightmares. The scent of aromatic oils and flowers will help to relieve the stress and activates the feeling good hormones thus you will not experience nightmares and bad dreams.
10.) Don’t Sleep On Your Back to Stop Nightmares
Most of us sleep on our back. However, this can be bad for us. This is so because while sleeping on the back we tend to remain alert like we are when we are awake. This results into a unique nightmare called sleep paralysis. While sleeping in such position you may feel breathless and the feeling of an unknown present in your room. To avoid this make sure you do not sleep on your back. Moreover, before sleeping release you all the thoughts, relax your body and then sleep to avoid bad dreams and nightmares.