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Original poster

Swearing in my son’s face!

22 replies

Fireplaceoffire · 27/07/2020 10:14

Not deliberately. Recently I’ve been waking myself up shouting in anger in my dream. This morning I was dozing with my 5 year old next to me when I woke myself up shouting ‘fuck off, fuck off’. He was a bit confused!

It’s happened about 4 times over last few weeks. It’s not the same every time - I just shout out whatever I’m dreaming about and wake myself up doing it..... usually I’m angry or crying in my dream!

Has anyone else experienced this? Does anyone know why this has suddenly started happening?

OP posts:

Original poster

Fireplaceoffire · 27/07/2020 20:56

Anyone? Is it just me!!

OP posts:

FTMF30 · 27/07/2020 20:58

This is very strange and has never happened to me.

Are you going through some problems in life which are manifesting in your dreams?

Original poster

Fireplaceoffire · 27/07/2020 21:02

Not particularly at the moment - although I was upset with a friend yesterday and dreamt I was swearing at another friend so maybe it’s that.....it doesn’t happen in the middle of the night, it’s when I’m dozing/ light sleeping

OP posts:

FourPlasticRings · 27/07/2020 21:04

Stop yourself swearing altogether while awake? Maybe then you won't swear in dreams at all?

BobbieDraper · 27/07/2020 21:05

You should probably stop dozing during the day. If you're sleeping funny hours then you're maybe not settling down for a proper sleep at night so you're off kilter.

If the light sleep during the day is bringing the dreams then stop dozing on the couch and try getting a full nights rest.

Delbelleber · 27/07/2020 21:07

Not happened to me. I'm having the opposite problem of sleep paralysis which I hate!

Original poster

Fireplaceoffire · 27/07/2020 21:14

@BobbieDraper it wasn’t during the day. My son got up super early so watched TV whilst I dozed in bed!

OP posts:

BobbieDraper · 27/07/2020 21:30

Well, the advice still stands.
You know that you're doing it. Waking up with your child next to you whilst you shout "fuck off, fuck off" really isn't something you want to repeat.

You dont do it when you wake from a full sleep, it's only when you doze off. So dont doze off around your kid and see if it starts happening when you're only having full sleeps.

Maybe try some stress relieving exercises; yoga, meditation etc to help deal with whatever stress it is that's causing it.

tobee · 27/07/2020 21:31

@BobbieDraper

You should probably stop dozing during the day. If you're sleeping funny hours then you're maybe not settling down for a proper sleep at night so you're off kilter.

If the light sleep during the day is bringing the dreams then stop dozing on the couch and try getting a full nights rest.

I think this is wishful thinking myself

tobee · 27/07/2020 21:31

Whoops wrong quote

tobee · 27/07/2020 21:32

@FourPlasticRings

Stop yourself swearing altogether while awake? Maybe then you won't swear in dreams at all?

I meant this one!

ShinyFootball · 27/07/2020 21:36

I don't think you can really control what you do when you're asleep?

I do some weird stuff a bit and always have done.

I'd explain to your child that you were asleep and not to worry and it wasn't real etc.

Whether op is saying fuck off out go away or help me it's all going to be worrying for a little kid do I don't feel like the swearing is the thing here.

5 is not to young to understand etc if you reassure and explain you were having a bad dream. Say you dreamt about the numbercatcher or whoever is scary for kids on telly now!

FourPlasticRings · 27/07/2020 21:38

@tobee maybe. If it worked it'd probably take some time to take effect. I don't swear in dreams as far as I'm aware, possibly because I have to make a conscious decision to do so when I do it in real life. If the habit can be broken when awake that might follow through in sleep? I don't know though

Letmegetthisrightasawoman · 27/07/2020 21:41

Gotta love the people blaming you for something that's happening in your sleep. Only on Mumsnet...

No advice really. This hasn't happened to me, but my best friend used to wake up crying or screaming a lot. She has complex PTSD from a horrendous childhood though.

Spinachfinger · 27/07/2020 21:44

I have woke up shouting fuck off many a time. Its woken me more times than I could count. Its normal for your dreams to spill into reality I guess.

I've also done other random things in my sleep and have sleep walked before. I wouldn't worry about it

Original poster

Fireplaceoffire · 27/07/2020 21:47

To be fair he wasn’t that bothered about it. I said it was just a bad dream, what did I shout and he said ‘a swear word mummy’ and then I made a joke about it and he found it funny.

I can’t stop swearing in real life. I love it too much

OP posts:

BobbieDraper · 27/07/2020 21:48

@Letmegetthisrightasawoman

No one is blaming her. It isnt her fault. Using the facts to help find a way around it isnt blaming her.

It only happens when she doesn't lightly. So stop doIng lightly. She said she was acting out an argument with a friend after arguing with another friend, so she is taking waking stress to her dreams when she is still semi conscious. To tackle the stress, she could try something to work through those feelings while she is awake.

It's not her fault in the sense that she has done something wrong, but it could be caused by funny sleep patterns, stress etc. Fault is the wrong word.

Spinachfinger · 27/07/2020 21:49

@BobbieDraper

Well, the advice still stands. You know that you're doing it. Waking up with your child next to you whilst you shout "fuck off, fuck off" really isn't something you want to repeat.

You dont do it when you wake from a full sleep, it's only when you doze off. So dont doze off around your kid and see if it starts happening when you're only having full sleeps.

Maybe try some stress relieving exercises; yoga, meditation etc to help deal with whatever stress it is that's causing it.

I'm guessing you've never had a dream where you've been trying to escape from someone or you've been trapped or needed help in it?

I swear in my sleep when I have bad dreams or weird dreams. I have also woken up many a time shouting get off. I have been told I talk a lot on my sleep (none swearing). It has nothing to do with whether the dreamer has a full nights sleep or not. Some people are just prone to sleep talking. I have also lashed out in my sleep due to a fight taking place in my dream. I can assure you it's not something the dreamer has any control over. No amount of not swearing in the day can influence how your dreams are.

BobbieDraper · 27/07/2020 21:51

She literally said it doeant happen when she is sleeping fully. It is only when she is lightly dozing and only over the last few weeks. I wouldn't say this is normal for her.

Work on stress and try to avoid naps if that's when it happens.

southernq1 · 27/07/2020 21:52

I've done this since I was a child (shouting in sleep) never swearing when I was younger, just shouting every morning around 5am waking the full house up, parents said I was always shouting about my brother which sounds right as we were always bickering.

Now as an adult I still do it, usually swearing or generally complaining about something. It's not as frequent as when I was younger but still happens now and then and I wake myself up most of the time doing it. It's never anything pleasant from what I've gathered. I don't think there is a way to stop it! I also occasionally get up for a bag of crisps at around 3am half asleep and regret it the next day, DP isn't best pleased I'm waking him up crunching at this time. I'm a strange sleeper.

Spinachfinger · 27/07/2020 21:55

I had a dream once where my brother sided with Adolf hitler during the war. I couldnt believe it. He was plotting world dominantion. In the dream we got into a fight. I punched him in the face for being a nazi. In reality I was lashing my arms around til I woke up.

Another dream I had was one where I was in space and couldnt breathe. I woke up sobbing with my face buried in my pillow as it felt so real. I naturally took a big gulp of air when I awoke.

Definitely not a transference of reality seeping into my dream state!

AngieBolen · 27/07/2020 22:18

I wake up screaming for my mum if I fall asleep on the sofa in the evening. I have done for at least 20 years. My DH and teenage DC find it hilarious. I have no control over it, it's not linked to a particular dream, and I never want my DM during the day. Sorry, not much help.

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