Whether we are dealing with overwhelming stress or have been exposed to trauma, many of us are having difficulty sleeping. Disturbance can range from trouble falling asleep to chronic recurring nightmares or night terrors. There are things we can do. We’re going to look at this just like any problem we might be addressing in our lives, lay it all out and try to identify the things in our life that might be contributing factors first. We are not victims of our nightmares. We are in the driver’s seat.
Things we need to rule out are antidepressants and blood pressure medicine which can contribute to sleep disturbance. Also, if underlying conditions such as sleep apnea, narcolepsy, REM disorder and restless leg syndrome are treated, sleep can be greatly improved. Cutting out caffeine, alcohol and nicotine will also make a big difference. Eating earlier and not too close to bedtime can be of benefit because our metabolism increases right after eating.
Small things we can do to help get a better sleep are to reduce stress during the day through yoga and meditation and to make sure we are getting plenty of exercise. Often, a hot bath before bed can set the stage for a good night’s sleep. We can make our bedroom a sacred sleeping sanctuary to actively encourage pleasant dreams. Watch, read or visualize happy relaxing things before going to sleep to enhance a positive mindset. Sleep aids such as melatonin, valerian and some antihistamines can be helpful. Grounding sheets really do assist in getting a deeper, better sleep. Homeopathic remedies such as Sedalia or Moon Drops can also be helpful. Lastly, Rife frequencies for sleep induction can facilitate the body recalibrating its own sleep process.
Some things I have personally tried when waking from bad dreams are getting up and walking around, and resetting myself before going back to sleep. I’ve also given a bad dream a good ending, something very close to IRT, Imagery Rehearsal Therapy, a cognitive behavioral technique to reduce the intensity of a dream by going over them again and giving them new endings. Nightmares can be caused by an excess of high frequency gamma brainwaves such as fear and anxiety. My anxiety dreams just about stopped when I started listening to binaural beats 432 and 528hz music. Binaural beats music increases delta and theta brainwaves, thus making the mind more relaxed. Something else that seems to help is becoming lucid enough to stop a dream from within the dream, and taking control of the dream. Yes, that’s what I just said (*see article below.) I’ve also given my subconscious mind instructions before going to sleep, to work on solutions to problems.
That leads me to this video by Dr. Bruce Lipton. He describes the process of reprogramming the subconscious mind through the theta state which we are in twice a day just before falling asleep and just as we wake up. In my opinion, reaching our subconscious is worth the attempt. That can be where nightmares are coming from. Since nightmares can be coming from our subconscious, perhaps quietly sitting with ourselves and asking our subconscious what the dream is trying to communicate, might be worth a try. If we can work on removing the fear from the dream, there may be some jewel there that is profound and valuable to our continuing growth. We are not a victim of our nightmares, and, as a beautiful Soul just reminded me, one of the most powerful things to do when waking from a nightmare, is pray. We have the ability to heal from our nightmare, through prayer.
Helpful Articles:
Lifestyle changes to get rid of bad dreams
*How to control your dreamsIRT Therapy
