How can I stop dreaming when I'm sleeping?

Question

Lately I have been having very vivid dreams when I'm asleep. They are not bad dreams. They are usually very good dreams, but I don't like them because they frequently wake me up. They also make me feel exhausted when I wake up. It's like I really did everything in my dream and I've had no rest. Another thing is that sometimes I can't distinguish what has happened from what I've had a dream about.

Answer 1

Jennifer, I don't think you're being absolutely truthful with us. Something didn't ring true with your question/comments so I checked your profile. Like you I'm Bipolar I (which as you must know is the most severe form of this disorder). If you are in a manic phase, your dreams will seem more vivid than at other times. I've described to my psychiatrist exactly what you've stated and he said that sometimes for bipolars these dreams don't always occur during REM sleep, but can be at a lighter level. That's why we wake up so frequently. You're exhausted because you're not getting that deep sleep you need. After taking care of two daughters and going to school, it's no wonder you're tired. I know I'm exhausted after nights like this because the dreams are so vivid and usually action-packed (even the emotional scenes!). It's like being on the edge of your seat all the time. Do you know if you are restless during these dreams--tossing/turning, kicking blankets off, things like that?

What is it about the waking up that you don't like--that you can't go back to sleep or that you find yourself in your own bed and not in the world your mind has created during sleep? I almost forgot to ask--how many dreams a night can you remember--if you're waking up and going back to sleep, it's probably more than one or two. If you can't get back to sleep, have you tried a sound machine set to something you like to hear--waves, rain, even white noise, to relax you? Try a cup of hot DECAFFINATED tea or chamomile if you like it. Try relaxation exercises.

You need to be in touch with your psychiatrist. I'm going to assume you see one since I know how hard it is to live with Bipolar I without regular therapy and drug maintenance. It's way too easy to go off the deep end. I'm also going to assume you're on lithium. Are you having your blood levels checked regularly to be sure you are at a therapeutic level? Ideally you should have the lab work done at least once a month.

The second thing you need to discuss is distinguishing between reality and your dreams. You say the dreams are usually very good ones. Does this mean they are nicer than real life? If so, you may be blurring the lines between them to get through the day. A little bit of a fantasy life is good for every one, but with children to be responsible for, you need to know the difference and not let that dream world overtake what happens the 16 hours or so you are awake.

Bipolar I people are prone to reckless and irresponsible actions when they are in a manic phase. You need to take care of yourself so you don't have such a huge burden on you.

I wish you well. You're on a difficult journey. Get some good books on bipolar disorder so you can learn to help yourself and to be able to work knowledgably with your doctor. You and your girls deserve the best.

Answer 2

Dear Jennifer,
Dreams are natural and necessary in order for us to work out the many situations that comprise our lives. During the day when we're so busy keeping track of all the details of life, we aren't able to tap into that area of our unconscious where all kinds of activity and information is found. Dreams help us tap into all that's relegated to our subconscious minds.
I suggest you start keeping a dream diary, writing each tiny detail of every dream you can remember IMMEDIATELY upon waking up.
Each dream and all the places, sights, sounds, people, actions, all of its seemingly trivial elements all of it fits somehow into your own life and the diary will eventually spark an "Aha" moment for you and you'll understand how to relate them to your daytime activity and problems.
And if you're feeling exhausted when you awaken, it's probably because you've been travelling and learning while you were asleep. You'd be surprised at how much information we absorb while asleep.
Think of your dream-time as educational. You're into a fantastic learning curve right now.
The dream diary will help you to understand what's real and what's not.
If you had to pay for the courses your getting while you dream, you prob. couldn't afford this education any other way. Be thankful for your dreams and the goodness they express. Be thankful that your life isn't a total mess like some people who write in here.
Just be thankful and keep an open mind (& a dream diary!)
Hope this helps

Answer 3

You can't stop them. Dreams usually manifest our problems during sleep to help our unconscious mind solve them. The way to stop what's happening to you is to figure out the dreams to the best of your ability. What does it mean to you? What do you think the parts represent? Etc. Once you find out what your sleeping mind is trying to tell you, you can work on the problem while you're awake and these particular dreams will subside. What you're describing could also relate to a change in your hormones. If you're a teen, you're going through major changes and your body chemistry is affected. Either way, you might want to consider speaking with your doctor for further recommendations.

Answer 4

I think you should get dream book. I know exactly what you mean. Very often i wake up in the mood i was in during the dream. If something bad happened in my dream, i wake up sad, and it affects the rest of my day. Its too distracting. But one thing i have learned is that your dream are usually trying to tell you something.

Example: I had a dream about an explosion in the middle of a city that I was in. When I looked it up in a dream book, it told me that i need to have a means of ventilating the anger that had been supressing during work.

Answer 5

There are many things that can give you restless sleep. I heard somewhere that drinking water before you sleep can intensify your dreams 50 times or something like that. Also, watching TV or looking at a computer screen for a long time within 30 minutes of sleeping can give you intense dreams.

Try stress-busters and relaxation techniques before you sleep. ie. reading, drinking chamomille (sp?) tea, playing w/ a pet etc...theres are tons out there

The reason you remember your dreams is because you're being awakened right after REM sleep, the dreaming part. Now thats strange because you claim you're being awoken by your dreams...waking up right after REM sleep also gives the effect of exhaustion.

Answer 6

A part of everyones sleep is the REM cycle. (Rapid Eye Movement) This is when you are actually dreaming. I hate to break it to you, but everyone dreams, and you can't stop it. Its a natural thing that can't be changed at the present state of science. Though, to make them less vivid and/or stressful you should try to slow down and calm your mind. That will help you with a more deep, restful sleep.

Answer 7

Dreams are a symptom of REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep, which is a part of the sleep cycle. During sleep and various stages of sleep, various brain chemicals are brought back into equilibrium after depletion during the day, so you do not want to eliminate your REM/dream sleep.

There are some things that can exacerbate dream sleep, however:

1. Eating before sleeping. My friend, Dr. Cosme-Cruz, says that people should not eat for three hours before sleeping or sleeping will be less restful.

2. Dreams about current life tends to be related to current life stress. You may want to seek some form of help if your anxiety about your current situation is constantly seeping over into your dream life... Just out of curiosity, do you go to sleep immediately after getting home from work?

3. Noise in your sleep environment can wake you, creating restless sleep since noises may wake you slightly enough to constantly rouse back out of deep (dreamless) sleep. If there is a lot of noise or a substantially disturbing noise during hours 2-6 of your sleep, this can mess things up a bit. I noticed this one time myself and finally got so conditioned to waking that I started waking up at 3 a.m., then awake enough to catch the kid delivering circular advertisements stopping by my apartment complex to drop them off with car windows open and radio on FULL BLAST! No wonder I was waking up! I called the police and then complained to the company. My rest is much better now. Counseling needed? ZERO.

4. Sleep apnea is a condition that comes from being overweight and sleeping on your back. It can also happen from constricting nasal cavities. At any rate, the sufferer gulps air frequently over sleeping and wakes constantly, but only enough to fall immediately back to sleep, resulting in non-restful sleep. Another cause of similar symptoms is dust mite allergies (I have this) which means your own bedding could be irritating your breathing during "sleep," In this case, you need hypo-allergic bedding that you wash with hot water on a regular basis (the intervals depends on the severity of your allergies).

5. Lack of exercise is a serious problem in the US. Exercise will wipe you out and allow deeper sleep.

6. Alcohol or drug use exacerbates these problems.

7. Bad mattress. If everything else is ok, then you might just be sleeping on an uncomfortable mattress.

Well, that's all I can think of at present. I hope you get back to decent rest!

Answer 8

you cant stop dreaming. u should mayb try yoga or some type of meditation and if u are always busy and have something to do then calm down. sometimes people hav dreams b/c they must remember something for the next day and they go to sleep like that so u should find a way to make life go smoother and relax. that might help =) its good to have dreams though, enjoy the story line!!!

Answer 9

The dreams you have cant be stopped per say. If your dreaming alot and waking up as well feeling tired, consider asking yourself if something is wrong in ur life, are you having stress at work or in life?

Answer 10

Are you taking medication for a psychiatric condition? I take Geodon which contributes greatly to dreams. Everybody dreams and it is perfectly normal and healthy. However, they are remembered if you are taking certain types of medication that alter your rem sleep. Rem sleep is the deepest kind of sleep and is the part of the sleep cycle where your thoughts are processed.

Enjoy your dreams !!

G-d bless !!