is it normal for a 20-year-old to still have vivid nightmares?

Question

sometimes i get really bad nightmares, and when i wake up i'm still scared and have to calm myself down before i can go back to sleep again....if i don't calm myself down or make myself not scared anymore, then i have more nightmares after i fall back asleep. i'm 20 years old and have had vivid dreams all of my life, but i'm wondering if this is normal, or if i should have grown out of it as a child?

Answer 1

Yes I think it is normal, I used to have many, and still sometimes have very vivid dreams including nightmares. I got a lot of improvement, here's what I did.

First, I had heard about lucid dreaming, which is where you know you are dreaming while the dream is going on. It takes time but most people can develop this, in the case of a nightmare it is a very helpful skill to have if you want to be well rested in the morning! You might want to get a book from the library or do a web search on lucid dreaming, but just speaking in general, you would first make a very strong mental intention to be aware of your dreams, especially just before bed and as you are dozing off, on a consistent basis every night. Then, when you wake from a vivid dream or a nightmare, you can practice by continuing it mentally and thus controlling the outcome. Like for example say you were chased by a horrible monster, and you ran at top speed, terrified, to the very edge of a cliff and then awoke - you could imagine that next without even pausing you jump off the cliff knowing that you just happen to have on a parachute, and you soar magnificently through the air, and then you pull your cord and your parachute comes out and you glide down to safety. Granted you are awake at that point but it seemed to help me to do this continuation imagery. As I practiced this more and more, I just naturally started becoming aware sometime during a dream that it was probably not real, and then slowly over time I could change at first a little of the dream content, and then more and more. One thing I read to do for example if you're being chased is to stop running and turn and confront your chaser. I did this and had some very very weird dreams (conversations with demons) as a result but I was able to stop a recurring chasing dream I had for years, after about a dozen times confronting the chaser.

Second, much later I found out about dream symbolism, I think this is a very useful tool. I have books on it but my favorite source is www.dreammoods.com. There is a dream dictionary, you look up key symbols from your dream. From my example above -

"Cliff -

To dream that you are standing at the edge of a cliff, indicates that you have arrived to an increased level of understanding, new awareness, and a fresh point of view. You may have reached a critical point in your life and may fear losing control.

To dream that you or someone falls off a cliff, suggests that you are go through some difficult times and are afraid of that is ahead for you. You fear that you are not up for the challenge"

So you can look these up, usually I pick what seem to me the 3-5 most important symbols in my dream to look up, read the entries, then think about the big picture from everything I read. Usually something emerges that fits my life and I am able to make some sense of why I had the dream; and about half the time, what purpose or lesson is in it for me. This comes with practice and time, at first it is just a subtle sense of putting it in perspective.

Hope this is helpful!

Answer 2

I think it is normal for anybody at any age to have such nightmares. I'm 22 years old and I still have vivid nightmares. Sometimes I'd wake up and I still feel like I'm stuck in my nightmare and end up fighting with my fiance`. Crazy isn't it? Maybe you've got some unsolved issues that's bothering you and it just become an obstacle for your mind to deal with? The more I work on my issues, the less nightmares I have. Just a thought...

Answer 3

Hi! First, I think that it may seen like a right idea to post this question on the web but it is not. You can get a lot of good advice but also bad advice and you never know who is truly answering your e-mail. Do you have access to a very close friend or family member? Can you see a professional for it? You are not saying much but did something in your past cause these nightmares? There is much to be known before someone can properly answer your question.

Answer 4

Im 35 and seldomly have dreams...however...some medications create night mares for me...such as codine...evry time i take it either from a tooth removal or whatever...i wake up from nightmares...alot of times stress and anxiety will cause this as well...try to engage in some sort of physical exercise before you go to sleep...pushups or set ups at a slow pace...nothing extreme as it may keep you awake longer... and nothing areobic, as this will raise your heartrate...just enough to make the body relax further...this helped me when i worked multiple shifts 2 grave-2 swing-1 day in a week...i had more dreams when my sleep habbits were alternating. also watch what you eat before bed...no excess spices or sugars...fruits are good if your a snacker b4 bed...and dont eat at least 2 hours b4 you go to bed...this causes the body to work while your sleeping...i know sometimes that a radio playing while your sleeping has helped younger children...but if you do that already...then stop...look at your environment as your sleeping and make little changes...to see what works. if you sleep with a tv on...turn it off or set the sleep timer...generally the body still works hard while were sleeping, like it or not, BUT IT KEEPS OUR HEART BEATING AND KEEPS US BREATHING...lol... and the end result subconciously is a dream...sometimes changing the matress on the bed or adding more cushion to make it softer helps...if you sleep on a waterbed...try sleeping on the couch or floor for a day or two to see if it changes...ive had 8 kids in my life, ages birth to 22 now, so ive battled the dreams several times...and have won...e mail me if youd like further ideas...i hope this helps...sorry i dont have a cure all for you...but nightmares really do suck...good luck :)

Answer 5

im 35 yrs old and can relate, one thing that works for me, upon waking up from a night terror and that is what i suspect you are having, i would love to hear more from you, but anyway, upon waking up imediately get up out of bed and walk around, splash some water on your face use the bathroom if needed, and walk around a little, never lay your head back down or you will fall back into the night terror, i know many people who suffer from these dreams and some people even feel like they cant breath and say that it is like a heavy weight being on top of them.good luck and sweet dreams. i agree about the eating late and spicy food can do it too, i know it sounds weird, i also say a good long prayer before bed too

Answer 6

dreams or night mares are there to help you work out your life ,so if your having nightmares it probably means you are trying to work out something that scares you ,I still have dreams and I'm 40 so no you don't grow out of it .write down first thing in the morning about your dream and see if you can work out what its about .For example I had a night mare about holding a party and running out of food,not too horrible but to me that's something I would never let happen anyway I worked out that the dream was my way of expressing my fear of not having enough money to feed my family as we are having a hard time right now ,once you acknowledge the problem you will start to put it behind you ,so don't run from your dreams.

Answer 7

Nightmares are not age dependent.

Try not eating too close to bedtime. Maybe some milk or a cup of a soothing tea? Make sure your bedroom is a friendly place to sleep. No reading or watching horror. Maybe a background sound machine to make soothing sounds would help you? Have you ever tried asking God in prayer before you sleep to grant you restful slumber?

Try one or any combination of the above.

Good night.

Answer 8

Yes it is normal. Nightmares are not a childs problem. It is your brain, not a childhood fantasy. Embrace the vivid dreams as a gift and use them to learn more about your sub-concious.

Answer 9

Nightmeres can happen to anyone of any age and are usually brought on by something thats bothering you, be it conciously or subconciously.

Try to think about what they could mean (though sometimes they make no sense) if thats the case then just think about whats going on in your life and is there any problems there? Also, allow yourself time to relax and cool down before heading to bed as it can do a world of good

Answer 10

I comprehend I even have nightmares stunning usually (each and each different night time or so) whether an outstanding variety of it relatively is PTSD comparable. i attempt to observe some ingredient pleased or mindless formerly than mattress (for representation, very final night time I threw Cake Boss on Netflix formerly than I exceeded out). the least puzzling extra ingredient it extremely is very often helped me is my domestic dog and my boyfriend, each and each sleep with me and that i think extra snug and my boyfriend wakes me up if he thinks i'm having a nightmare and can communicate to me approximately it formerly than I return to sleep-even if those would no longer be selections for you (an added individual and the domestic dog). worry concentrating and feeling inspired ARE signs and indicators of melancholy-I even have melancholy as sturdy (substitute into as quickly as pointed out at 11 with that and generalized anxiety ailment). perhaps initiate seeing a psychologist or psychiatrist traditionally and see what they are saying? i observed one from a protracted time 11-18 and it has helped me a great deal. sturdy sturdy fortune and that i want you're in a position to make certain a option to sleep peacefully.