Nightmares? Night terrors? What is this?

[Torey]

Re: Nightmares? Night terrors? What is this?

Greetings fellow mortals!

As you guys know, I am awesome. But even awesome people like me go through strange experiences!

Last night, I had a really hard time sleeping. I was having constant nightmares. However, these nightmares were more like night terrors. I experienced them about 3 to 5 minutes after falling asleep. My girlfriend described it to me. My leg and arms muscles start twitching. One at a time first. Then they start twitching more frequently and more, and my breaths become short and heavy. And then I wake up full of fear and heavily breathing until I calm down. About 6 or 7 times. If my girlfriend woke me up before waking up myself, I would not experience fear after waking up. It would kind of interrupt the dream-thing.

As for the content of the nightmares, I cannot remember a thing. In fact, I only remember waking up due to this about 3 or 4 times, not the 7 or 6 my girlfriend mentions. I also had some muscle pain after waking up. I guess that comes from the movements and frequent twitching. I had cramp-like pains at some point. I felt physically and mentally exhausted after waking up. And this morning I wasn't really well-rested.

What could this be? It can hardly be nightmares, as I didn't sleep long enough to enter R.E.M. phase, and they weren't night terrors because I was asleep, I didn't feel fear during the event only after, and finally I can't remember a thing.

I hope it doesn't happen again tonight. I don't want to keep myself and my girlfriend from sleeping at night.

Best regards!

Sean.

EDIT: Ooops, I posted this into the wrong category. It was intended for General Discussion. My bad!!

Has this happened before? Sorry if I missed where you had indicated if it had (if you did indicate it).

I'm also wondering if you have any other medical issues going on at all. I ask because sometimes nocturnal seizures can occur as you've described with the symptoms you've experienced. Not saying that's what's going on...but it was just a thought.

Otherwise, I don't believe that it's due to anything like a psychic attack at all. I feel that dreams and nightmares are primarily just products of the stresses of the day (and the lingering thoughts, subconscious or conscious, that we naturally experience). Try various relaxation techniques just before bedtime such as guided meditation (or unguided) and breathing exercises. Also avoid any kind of caffeine, alcohol and sugar just before bed.

Otherwise, if they continue, keep a notepad by your bed and jot down what you can recall of the dreams when you first awaken.

[feathered_regalia]

Re: Nightmares? Night terrors? What is this?

Sometimes the unconscious doubts where the conscious does not. I'm not saying I'm right, clearly, since you can't be sure yet yourself. I do agree wholeheartedly with Torey's advice as a first step. I'd also consider doing some free writing after that (allowing yourself to write with a blank mind, no thought into what you're writing, just to clarify in case you're not familiar, I'm assuming you are, this is just in case ), and seeing what thoughts come out until you can write no more.

Edit: The timing for this is best right after noting your dreams. It is a method to help find that subconscious link between cause and effect. Of course it's not some miracle lay it on the line answer written in black and white, but it is a place to start.

[Sean R. R.]

Re: Nightmares? Night terrors? What is this?

Has this happened before? Sorry if I missed where you had indicated if it had (if you did indicate it).

I'm also wondering if you have any other medical issues going on at all. I ask because sometimes nocturnal seizures can occur as you've described with the symptoms you've experienced. Not saying that's what's going on...but it was just a thought.

Otherwise, I don't believe that it's due to anything like a psychic attack at all. I feel that dreams and nightmares are primarily just products of the stresses of the day (and the lingering thoughts, subconscious or conscious, that we naturally experience). Try various relaxation techniques just before bedtime such as guided meditation (or unguided) and breathing exercises. Also avoid any kind of caffeine, alcohol and sugar just before bed.

Otherwise, if they continue, keep a notepad by your bed and jot down what you can recall of the dreams when you first awaken.

They haven't happened again, I think it's all cool now. Probably something I ate before sleeping. Thanks for the suggestion though, might help elsewhere!

Sometimes the unconscious doubts where the conscious does not. I'm not saying I'm right, clearly, since you can't be sure yet yourself. I do agree wholeheartedly with Torey's advice as a first step. I'd also consider doing some free writing after that (allowing yourself to write with a blank mind, no thought into what you're writing, just to clarify in case you're not familiar, I'm assuming you are, this is just in case ), and seeing what thoughts come out until you can write no more.

Edit: The timing for this is best right after noting your dreams. It is a method to help find that subconscious link between cause and effect. Of course it's not some miracle lay it on the line answer written in black and white, but it is a place to start.

Thank you for the suggestion! I'm familiar with free-writing, but I just never found it had any effect or use for me.

[Larix]

Re: Nightmares? Night terrors? What is this?

I personally really like to absolutely sort out any physical issue or reaction before throwing ourselves into the foggy world of supposed psychic attacks. If it really where one, there would many other questions, such as who might have wanted to deprive me of sleep that night?

The episode didn't repeat itself the night after or the one after that, so I think it's over for good, for the moment.

Maybe I just ate too much before sleeping (which is the case), and it caused this reaction.


Thank you, Tylluan, you were helpful, in my opinion

And - is it over now?

[Sean R. R.]

Re: Nightmares? Night terrors? What is this?

And - is it over now?

Yeah. It hasn't happened ever again.

[Gleb]

Re: Nightmares? Night terrors? What is this?

Yeah. It hasn't happened ever again.

Good to hear