Sleeping is one of the great pleasures of life. In addition, it is one of the basic needs of the human being, since, while sleeping, a large number of regenerative processes take place, not only in the body, but also in the brain. Have you noticed that sometimes, after waking up, you feel tired or, if you had a bad night, the next day you have trouble coordinating your ideas or remembering certain details? This is due to a lack of good, restful sleep. In fact, sleep is so important that it can throw us off balance. Therefore, in some regimes, it was used as a form of torture to punish people or to break their integrity. However, despite the importance of sleep, some people find it difficult to sleep and there are those who do not want to do so, since they constantly suffer from nightmares. This is a type of dream that is very disturbing and generates a large number of distressing, stressful and even frightening feelings.
Even some of these nightmares tend to be recurrent and, therefore, torment those who suffer from them, because, although it is true that they are more common in children, they can occur at any age. In addition, they do not discriminate in terms of sex, race, religion, economic position or anything like that. In view of this, the question arises: how to stop having nightmares? Is it possible? You will be surprised to know that it is. If you suffer from nightmares constantly, you will be happy to know that in this short post you will find out what you should do to avoid them. While it’s true that they’re generally not a cause for concern, knowing this information will help you get a good night’s sleep and wake up the next day with the energy and encouragement you need to tackle the concerns and challenges ahead. present.
Instructions to stop having nightmares
A nightmare usually has the following characteristics: It looks real and is therefore very disturbing. As the dream unfolds, it becomes even more disturbing. The plot is related to threats to safety or survival. wakes you up It causes anxiety, fear, anger, sadness and boredom.
Perspiration and strong palpitations occur. Upon waking, you usually have the ability to recall details of the dream. It does not allow you to go back to sleep easily.
However, nightmares can be considered a disorder when some of these characteristics are present: They are recurring. They cause anxiety or distress even after waking up and the feeling can last for the rest of the day. They generate daytime sleepiness, fatigue and reduce energy. They cause problems getting around at work and doing other activities during the day. They make you feel afraid to go to sleep or develop a fear of the dark.
Since it is quite an unpleasant experience, to stop having nightmares, some experts make the following recommendations: Avoid eating heavy foods at least 3 hours before going to bed, as food speeds up metabolism and activates the brain. In particular, avoid foods that contain sugar. Don’t indulge in watching entertainment related to terror or violence, at least before going to sleep. Don’t overindulge in alcohol and other stimulant substances, such as coffee, tea, sodas, and energy drinks before bedtime. Exercise regularly. At least 3 days a week. Practice some relaxation technique to reduce high levels of stress or anxiety. For example: yoga, meditation, breathing techniques, painting mandalas, reading, knitting, etc.
What do you need to stop having nightmares?
Another thing that will help you stop having nightmares is to encourage dreams that are pleasant. But how can you do it? To do this, try the following: Find a happy place. That is, imagine that you are in a peaceful and pleasant place, such as a mountain, the beach, etc. Try to imagine each of the aspects of the environment, such as sounds, smells, colors, shapes in general, etc. Fill your mind with pleasant thoughts. As you drift off to sleep, try to think of pleasant things. Something that will be of great help to you is to focus on your goals and imagine that you are achieving them. Perhaps, your dream job, the house you want, the latest model car, finding true love, etc. Talk about your dreams. Find someone you trust and tell them what is happening to you. Explain your dream and why it scares you so much. Expressing your feelings and thoughts can help you improve the situation. Determine if you have the ability to control your nightmares so that they are not as creepy or frightening. Since this is a skill that develops over time, don’t get frustrated if you fail on your first few tries. Try to do things that relax you before going to sleep. Sometimes nightmares can be caused by stress. Perhaps due to some family situation, a problem at work, the uncertainty of whether something will work out or not, bad news, etc. Therefore, the recommendation is that you can get rid of everything that anguishes you so that you can have beautiful dreams again. Some of the relaxation techniques that you can implement are: meditation, yoga, conscious breathing, walking on the shore of the beach, looking at the starry sky, listening to relaxing music, among other things.
Tips to stop having nightmares
having put into practice the instructions that I have given you above, the nightmares continue, you can try doing the following: Watch something funny or humorous right before bed. It can be a comedy show, a comedy movie, or at least a few funny memes. Laughter will also help you relax and have more pleasant dreams. Think about the good things that have happened to you throughout your life. That in your mind there is only room for positive thoughts. Remember that the vast majority of your dreams are not real and therefore will never happen in real life. Therefore, relax and take the time you need to welcome the start of a new day. Apply some essential oils that are calming, such as lavender. Read until you feel very tired. This way you will be able to fall asleep quickly. If in the middle of the night you have a nightmare. Stop to reflect on why you have had this dream and what you can do to change this nightmare into a good dream. Sometimes nightmares arise as a result of being under a lot of stress or when a problem has not been resolved. Therefore, solve once and for all what bothers you. Something that can help you, on a psychological level, is to have a dream catcher hanging at the head of your bed or an amethyst gem for protection. Thus, you will forget the bad thoughts and you will feel safer. If the nightmares continue for at least a month, it is best to seek medical help, as they may be the result of some traumatic event and, in this case, you will need help to overcome it. Since nightmares can be truly terrifying at times, you may be afraid to try to sleep again, as the images will still be vivid in your mind. In this case, if you are not married, ask a trusted family member or friend to sleep with you. This can help you get back to sleep, as you will feel protected. In some extreme cases, nightmares are caused by a certain medication you are taking. Therefore, if they are recurrent, consult your doctor to find out if there is a possibility that the treatment is affecting your sleep and, if so, change it to stop having nightmares.