Bloody sick of nightmares every night, any advice anyone?

[Lounging]

Every single night. It is literally a nightmare. Various topics perhaps slightly related to something in real life, although last night was ferries, 1970s and gangsters all of which I have absolutely no experience of.
Any tips for avoiding this? If I'm going to dream this vividly I'd like at least the occasional nice sex dream.
Please help me!

Are you on any medication that might be causing this?

I've suffered from nightmares/terrors my whole life, but every night sounds loads. All I can suggest is not try and work out the dreams but what maybe going on for you on your waking life, unresolved issues etc.

No, nothing at all. I don't drink. I don't eat after 7pm, only about three cups of tea a day, no coffee. Black out blinds. Comfy bed. Usually asleep by ten ish.

Oh god I used to get this - mine was related to meds - I read about I think it’s called lucid dreaming where you can get out of the nightmare and wake yourself up, or change the decisions you make and so stop it being a nightmare, and that worked for me.

Unresolved issues, I mean.. Yeah doesn't everyone?! I do have fairly bad anxiety but this is up and down and hasn't got a major cause that I can identify.

No trauma?

Have you tried a dreamcatcher?

Worked for my eldest who had awful nightmares as a teenager.

Pregnant?

Progesterone surge gives me apocalyptic dreams...

Acupuncture or shiatsu.

I use a sleep meditation podcast. It's only 12 mins long and I've never got to the end of it because it sends me off so quickly 😂.
I haven't had a nightmare since I started listening about 3 weeks ago.

I’ve had bad dreams/nightmares every night for as long as I can remember. Unfortunately I don’t think there’s a cure.

It means I never feel rested. I once took an over the counter sleep remedy, when I was struggling to get to sleep. I got to sleep but then couldn’t wake up from the bad dreams! Was awful.

Sympathies OP, it stinks.

Learn lucid dreaming. It takes some time to get to be able to do it, if you aren't already used to it, but it's a learnable skill that allows you to recognise you're dreaming while it's happening, and then to take control of the dream and change it however you like. Flying away is my usual strategy!

Do you eat a lot of cheese..? ''Tis a well known cause of nightmares.

Regular nightmares might be caused by suppressing emotions when you are awake. They can be caused by PTSD, particular stressful situation in your life now, previous events etc.. Do your dreams have a certain pattern? Not necessarily same plot, but do people mean to you in your dream, are in danger, is someone hunting you?
I would encourage you to talk to a psychologist. There are a lot of methods that can help

I had this, but I was on pizotifen at the time. Ridiculous, childish nightmares for me - monsters under the bed type ones, with me waking up shaking and screaming every night.

I used visualisation techniques as I tried to get to sleep - remembering being in a specific beach in Sri Lanka, the warmth, the view, the sounds of the sea, the spicy chicken meal at a beach hut cafe, the ice cold Tiger beer - very specific, very pleasurable, very memorable. I focus on that still if I think I might have crap dreams if I've had a day of anxiety etc. Works pretty well for me.

Hi OP, if you regularly get the same themes in nightmares you can try nightmare rescripting, which is a cognitive behavioural technique. When you wake, write down the dream and then write it down again but change a detail of the dream. Keep trying this and over time it should shift the content and help you to feel more in control.

It could be hormonal e.g thyroid, gynae hormones or get your blood pressure checked over a few days in morning and or evening.

Do you know the temperature in your room? If I'm too hot I have very weird dreams

Hi OP

There are psychological treatments available for nightmares. Ask your GP for a referral to your local IAPT service.