Question:
I know this may sound really dumb but its gotten to the point where I need to do something.
When I sleep in my room I have really bad dreams every night. I've had to deal with it since I was 6, at one time I was sleeping in another room and did not experience any dreams like I have in that room. Its come to the point where I'm starting to dread sleeping because I know I'm going to have another dream.
Maybe I'm just overreacting and this is normal, but I'm still shaking from last nights dream.
If you have any advice on this I would really appreciate it.
Answer:
Last year Matthew my 6 year old had terrible nightmares. We tried very thing that anybody told us. Finally my mother in-law told me to right my favorite Bible verses about comfort and protection on his pillow and then put the pillow case on it. It totally worked. And we never told him about it. He hasn't had any nightmares in about a year and that year actually includes alot of stressful things for a kid, 2 moves, starting school, and daddy going on the road for 3 months. So you might try it.
Answer:
Originally Posted by Punktrash23 I know this may sound really dumb but its gotten to the point where I need to do something.
When I sleep in my room I have really bad dreams every night. I've had to deal with it since I was 6, at one time I was sleeping in another room and did not experience any dreams like I have in that room. Its come to the point where I'm starting to dread sleeping because I know I'm going to have another dream.
Maybe I'm just overreacting and this is normal, but I'm still shaking from last nights dream.
If you have any advice on this I would really appreciate it.
I did this for a long time, the one thing that helped is there are several reassuring psalms. I do not remember the numbers offhand, but Ill try to edit this post this afternoon and get you them...
Proverbs 3 is good
Psalm 46
Psalm 91
Id really reccomend Psalm 91 though, reading it every night before bed.
Answer:
Originally Posted by Punktrash23 I know this may sound really dumb but its gotten to the point where I need to do something.
When I sleep in my room I have really bad dreams every night. I've had to deal with it since I was 6, at one time I was sleeping in another room and did not experience any dreams like I have in that room. Its come to the point where I'm starting to dread sleeping because I know I'm going to have another dream.
Maybe I'm just overreacting and this is normal, but I'm still shaking from last nights dream.
If you have any advice on this I would really appreciate it.
So you mean you only have nightmares if you're sleeping in your room? that's really weird.
Hmm..something about dreams... I think I only remember this one: Ecclesiastes 5:3 "As a dream comes from much business, so the voice ....". So you're probably taking things too seriously, I mean like too busy dealing with something when you're awake and your mind is trying to solve it when you're sleeping or so. I don't know, I never really have bad dreams that happen over and over again.
Answer:
Try rearranging your room. Your mind may perceive it to be a different room.
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Thanks I'm going to try all of them. Its just gotten really bad recently, I used to have them once a week but every night I can't deal with.
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Yeah, Bible verses can be comforting. Another good thing is just to think to yourself as you go to sleep what a dream really is, and have it in your mind that a nightmare cannot physically harm you. I've never had a bad dream when I had just been conscious of the fact that bad dreams were all just nonsense. It is like when you go to sleep telling yourself to remember something, and then that becomes your waking thought. It sticks in your mind.

Another thing is, are you getting enough sleep each night? If you get light sleep or shorter periods of sleep, your body will catch up on its REM sleep by extending periods of REM and shortening the other non-dreaming stages of sleep. If you're sleeping five hours every night and half of it is REM, then you're bound to have dreams, and likely have them for a longer period of time than usual. Make sure you've got a healthy sleep schedule and that you sleep about the same length each night, so you know when you're going to wake up. I had to wake up thirty minutes later each morning so I could avoid waking up in the middle of dreams, or by dreaming mistake my alarm, turn it off, and sleep and be late. Dreams are fascinating things.
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I usually sleep 8 hours a night. But the dreams are weird. Like I can have a bad dream where my bf breaks up with me but these dreams are very different, they have a very spiritual connection and are very disturbing.
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"For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, 'Abba, Father'" (Rom 8:15)
From what you've written here, it sounds like you almost _want_ to believe that these dreams are supernatural (demonic) in origin. I think as Christians we sometimes become so fascinated by "spiritual warfare" that we develop a _desire_ to be attacked - the idea of battling demons becomes interesting and exciting. But if we live that way, nourishing our fear instead of renouncing it, we're taking our eyes off God.
In any case, demons, lack of sleep, upset sleep cycles, anxieties, and indigestion alike - whichever is causing these bad dreams - are all no reason to give in to fear. If your fears are a reflection of fear or anxiety that you're dealing with in your waking life, deal with the root problem. But if not, realize that confidence in God and trust in Him is the best defense against fear.
Answer:
Originally Posted by SilverNitrate Try rearranging your room. Your mind may perceive it to be a different room. I'm proud...that's a great idea, I can see you're paying attention in your psych classes.
I would recommend rearranging your room too, that's a pretty good idea. I'd also recommend, along the same lines as Bill, reading some Scripture and try to focus your mind on God's Word before bedtime. These dreams may be caused by some stressor, and meditating on God's Word before bed may have the calming effect your mind needs to rest peacefully.
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I would recomend trying meditation on God's word FIRST. Don't just quickly read a few verses and go to bed. Force yourself to actually THINK about what it says. If you let your mind wander, it won't do nearly as much good. Spend some time just praying too.
Rearranging your room might help. Getting a different bed is more probably more likely to trick you into thinking you're not in your room. However, if you've been dealing with this since you were 6, i'm guessing you would quickly adapt to your new room and it wouldn't solve the problem in the longterm. I also suspect the reason you're not experiencing this problem in other rooms is because you're not spending as much time in REM sleep when you're not in a bed you're accustomed to.
You might try drinking a cup of tea before you go to bed. This will could do a few different things that might help you. Drinking any hot liquid can have calming effects, the aroma of some teas furthers the effect. The caffeine will probably keep you staying in REM sleep as long, which is a problem for me whenever i'm drinking coffeee regularly, but might help you since you might be staying in REM sleep longer than you're supposed to. And it might wake you up to go to the bathroom. Which could interupt dreams before the develop in to nightmares. If this does help, just try not to get addicted to caffeine. If you do, you'll probably end up with a lot more headaches.
If you're already consuming caffeine regulary, try quiting. Large enough quantities can do really strange things to sleeping patterns. Nicotine is probably the same way, although i've never been addicted enough to know. Also, if you're taking any perscription drugs, talk to your doctor first, then try stopping the meds. And definately stop any illegal drugs if you're taking them.
Reading scripture and prayer is still probably the best suggestion.
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Did something bad happen to you in that room when you were 6?
Answer:
Originally Posted by jbm222 Rearranging your room might help. Getting a different bed is more probably more likely to trick you into thinking you're not in your room. However, if you've been dealing with this since you were 6, i'm guessing you would quickly adapt to your new room and it wouldn't solve the problem in the longterm. She's been having these bad dreams since she was six... yes, I'm sure her room has changed over the years... but if you think about, your room makes slow changes over the years. (unless, or course, you do a room make-over)
Since it would be slow changes (ie. the care bears poster turns to a Justin Timberlake poster) you wouldn't notice the change as much.
If you were to move the bed, re-paint the walls, add (or subtract, or change) pictures on the wall, and move the furniture... you wouldn't adapt to it over night like you would the gradual changes.
Answer:
Originally Posted by SilverNitrate She's been having these bad dreams since she was six... yes, I'm sure her room has changed over the years... but if you think about, your room makes slow changes over the years. (unless, or course, you do a room make-over)
Since it would be slow changes (ie. the care bears poster turns to a Justin Timberlake poster) you wouldn't notice the change as much.
If you were to move the bed, re-paint the walls, add (or subtract, or change) pictures on the wall, and move the furniture... you wouldn't adapt to it over night like you would the gradual changes.
I know that when i last rearranged my room (about a 2 years ago when i added a piece of furniture), it took me about a week to get to where i could walk around and find anything in my room in dark again. And I moved everything.
Re-painting and/or changing posters could have more long term effects. Also change the curtains/blinds on any windows would make a huge difference. Doing both could drastically change the lighting and general feel of the room. Both during the day and at night.
So there's a chance it could really help.
But I don't think the room itself is really that big of a factor here unless, as crteach asked about, something traumatic happend in that room when she was younger.