Have you ever sat up in bed gasping after a bad dream?

[DuggeesWoggle]

Like they do on TV? Middle of a bad dream, they suddenly sit up in bed, awake, huge gasp and then pant heavily, out of breath.

Had plenty of bad dreams in my time but never done this. Is it just a bad dramatic trope or is it something that actually happens to people in real life?

Yes. After sleep paralysis and night terrors.

It's horrible.

Funnily enough I was thinking how ridiculous this was earlier on when watching a film. The only time I ever got near it was when I freaky I fell off a cliff and woke up on the floor.

I’ve woken up swatting the wall trying to ward off the spiders before now.

Only once. I dreamt I'd hit a cyclist when driving and it was so realistic that I sat straight up, gasping. Horrible!

Yes. In the years after discovering dh's cheating. It was horrific.

Ye, sleep paralysis, had it twice, never want it again!

Only when I have the falling off a cliff dreams.

My dh always gets annoyed at how clear tv dreams are. Like you can see people/places and there's a proper story arc, whereas in real people's dreams nothing makes much sense and people and places seem to change constantly.

Nearly every night. I suffer from night terrors (which means my husband also suffers with them!) and nearly every night I wake up either screaming out or gasping for breath. It's awful and takes ages for my heart rate to go back to normal.

Yeah, when I was a teen. I was awake lying in bed but I couldn't move and I could see a 'thing' sat on my chest. I had to fight to get my body to move and then I did the Hollywood bolt up nightmare trick and screamed the house down.

Yes - I was dreaming that Charles Manson was stood at the side of my bed staring down at me

Blimey some of these are scary! Night terrors sound absolutely petrifying.

Seems like it is a real thing after all. I will just be grateful it's never happened to me.

Yes, I have woken up utterly terrified and disorientated after a bad dream. It takes your breath away

Yes, I dreamt that a big spider was under the sheets with me - I screamed, commando rolled over my husband, fell out of the bed on his side and banged myself badly on the way down. Rather than being supportive he was annoyed I woke him up!!

yup, i have nightmares most nights, night terrors some nights, i also sleepwalk and talk and laugh randomly in my sleep. I am an utter delight to sleep next to/in the same room as.

Yes. I 'pop-up' suddenly in my sleep and stare around the room. It can be disconcerting as it tends to wake me up or anyone else in the room.

Yes, all the time. Often so drenched in sweat I have to change my PJs.

Yes most nights. Either I can’t breathe or I feel like my heart has stopped. I think it’s a nocturnal panic attack. Definitely worse when I am stressed. It’s pretty horrible to be honest.

I think only once. I was bolt upright, panting and terrified. I have no idea what I'd been dreaming about, but I sort of laughed at myself and went back to sleep.

Yes just last week, had a nightmare that narcos were going to rape me! Woke up flailing and screaming, forced myself out of bed so I'd wake up properly and not doze off back into it.be
I sometimes suffer night terrors - Google incubus (or dont, if that kind of thing freaks you out!).
I often have very very vivid dreams just before I get my period, they can be lovely or IT-worthy

Yes but because I have night terrors. They are awful and I wake up shaking and gasping, after having screamed my head off.

Night terrors here, too. For years I have woken up with the feeling that there is a terrifying presence in the room with me. My reactions have ranged from sitting up shaking and sweating to running out of the room to get away from it. When I first met DH, 20 odd years ago, I would regularly freak him out by sitting up and shouting "who's there?" I'm amazed he still wants to share a bed with me!

I woke up crying once! Very scary

Elquinto - I really want to Google incubus, but I won't.

Yes. I’ve also sleep walked extensively, sleep cried and sleep screamed. On a happier note I’ve also sleep orgasmed.

But I’m not as bad as my DH. By day he is a very gentle, self effacing man but for his first few hours of sleep he regularly shouts, swears and lashes out very agressively and all in a Belfast accent despite him never having lived in Belfast or lived with anyone with a Belfast accent.

Yes. Gasping because it was like I just stopped breathing and had to desperately try hard to breath again while still being asleep! It was mad and horrible.

Was sleeping face down so didn't sit bolt upright though, just woke up gasping and relieved that I could breathe again.