Nightmares

[misslideaway]

I have a lot of dreams, mainly twisted..(for example I gave birth to a baby and in panic, put it in a shoe box and selotaped it to the ceiling.) But I suffer a lot of nightmares, some are like scenes from horror movies (which I dont watch) I have woke up crying a few times and wondered... should an adult still suffer from frequent nightmares?

[hopalong]

Watch what you eat before you go to bed. For example eating cheese on toast before bed is known to give nightmares

[muggyjim]

That sounds really bad. Cant help much, but can at least sympathise with you. hopalong has a point though about food. If it gets too bad why dont you see your doctor? You might need some kind of counselling to help you find the cause.

[misslideaway]

For years I've been careful not to eat cheese before bed so its not that but I'm not sure what other foods can have the same effect.

[atkins]

misslideaway - this has nothing to do with food. i would have thought this is one of ur subconcous thoughts or sumthing u fear greatly which sets off (reacts) when u reach the rem stage of sleep

[WoWo]

It does have to do with food in part. Cheese is high in protein and it is this that results in dreams/nightmares. This is the case because the body has to divert more energy to process the protein and you sleep is lighter. Just for an experiment atkins eat a load of peanuts before you go to bed.

[daddyg]

If you take anti histamies they can give you horrendous nightmares. A few summers back I got some from the doc (can't remember what for) and I had terrible nightmares 2 nights running. Then luckily my missus read the notes you get with medicine and it said one of the side effects was nightmares. Binned them and was back to normal after that.

[FP]

Like you I have the most horrendous nightmares which are so incredibly way out that I think my brain must be in such a mess. I have had them since a child and I am now in my 50's. I am a very anxious person and have to take tablets for panic attacks. I don't know whether the tablets are adding to the nighmares or not. All I know is that I often wake completely exhausted. I never eat cheese later than lunch time, so cheese doesn't come into the equation!

[I.R.]

I tend to agree with atkins. The few times I've had nightmares, I could directly relate them to films I've watched, and in one instance, a horrifying book I read.

[misslideaway]

Its strainge you say that Fakeplastic, because I too suffer from panic attacks but have learnt how to curb them..So I'm thinking because I'm an anxious person anyway, my mind may just be trying to deal with anxieties. I would like to know how to stop these nightmares though.

[Kay]

Here's a link,its a great help! http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dreamchatters

[Greedyfly]

Cheese dones'nt bother me and have always thought it to be a myth. But I have suffered nightmares in the past - ine were mainly to stress and not offloading. Although I am sure you don't think of these things in general on some level it sounds as though you store a lot up in you head and it helped me loads to write everything down. They dreams soon stopped. If not maybe see a doctor - they might be able to help

[PaulB]

One of the greatest questions on here for a long time - have nothing to add but some of the answers on here have helped me too. Thanks Guys.

[FP]

PaulB, My dreams are more frightening and stranger than anything Steven Spielburg could begin to imagine. I am always worried and anxious in all of them. My husband doesn't dream at all and he is a totally laid back individual. I just think my brain spends every night trying to get back into some sort of reasonable working order after a hard days worrying!

[bluedolphin]

Ur descrition of ur nightmare reminds me of a scene in Trainspotting...have u recently viewed same film? Perhaps a nightcap of sherry or a drop of whisky might knock u out quick ....good luck...

[ask]

The reason most people get nightmares is beause they have something trouleing them. Cheese has nothing to do with it.