Anxiety/panic dreams, anyone else?

[Diddlysquatty]

I keep having a recurring panicky dream where I wake up and my heart is beating really fast, I’m often sweating, and it takes me a while to realise it’s a dream. Sometimes I wake myself up because I’m sleep talking to DH about it or have even got up out of bed.
Sometimes I wake up and think that something innocuous in my room like a pile of clothes is something else.
It takes me a few minutes to calm down and realise it’s not real.

It’s normally something relating to the felejng that I’ve forgotten to do something or someone/some people are waiting for me. Sounds so stupid written down but at the moment it is Christmas themed (😂) and normally to do with that I needed to put in a section of Christmas lights, or that DH and the kids were waiting for me downstairs to do something and look at a lights display or something like that.
In the past when I’ve had stints of it I’ve woken up convinced there are guests downstairs staying the night who are waiting for me to tell them where to sleep and I’ve just abandoned them.

After waking up with my heart racing, once I’ve told myself it’s not real it still takes a while to calm down and is really affecting my sleep.
It’s the worst it’s ever been currently and is happening multiple times a night - feels like very time I go to sleep.

I am on a course of roaccutane for my skin and wondered if this could be exacerbating it, but have had it in the past too.
I plan not to have a glass of wine tonight to see if that helps.

Has anyone had anything similar?

I dream like that. So intense. Last night I was trying to bit through a man's finger. Obviously there was a lot more going on, but describing it would just... well you know. I woke up still infuriated that I couldn't bit through that finger.

Wine may help- but better to start incorporating some quality relaxation into your day- not necessarily at bedtime, that can be counter productive. Just a few minutes of mindfulness, a regular pause and breathe, and it will help with the stress dreams.

Probably still be intense though, just not so stressy!

Good idea
On the surface I feel like I’m quite relaxed - have been off work for 2 weeks.... watching lots of telly etc
But I think I am harbouring some anxiety about returning to work on Monday (in a supposedly covid secure office that’s not really), the pressure (adult social care) plus whether schools are going to close etc. and some difficult stuff with my eldest dd.
Maybe if I spend more time consciously acknowledging those worries it might help?

It’s a horrible feeling waking up and still thinking it’s real, then realising it’s not. Makes me feel I’m going mad

I always have terrible anxiety dreams after drinking wine. Either that I'm doing a maths a-level that I've forgotten all about, or I'll have a wierd false memory from my childhood that I know is wrong, but I can't remember why. Agree that it doesn't sound too bad written down but it's terrifying at the time!

100% recommended no alcohol. I don't drink very often anymore, normally have lovely dreams and great sleep. Drank on nye, panic dreams back! Not worth it at all. (For me anyway).

I get panic dreams when I'm too hot in bed, could it be as simple as that?

Ok will do that
I need to cut back anyway, don’t normally drink on work nights but since I’ve been off for two weeks...
Plus I don’t think it’s recommended to drink much on roaccutane anyway

Conscious acknowledgment is powerful- you can list the worries instead of shutting them out.
Categorise them:
Inconvenient but probably fine, will deal with it if it happens;
Needs a plan (make plan, then forget about it because it's sorted);
out of my hands, will just have to wait and see.

Even acknowledging there's a risk and that you can't plan or prepare for it helps teach your brain not to bother racing around.

As worries surface, add them to one of the lists them move on knowing it's dealt with.

I think mine are definitely related to food I have eaten , particularly cheese and wine. I had a very vivid one a few nights ago where a friend's husband was smashing up a van ( this person is the most placid person ever ! ) and I was terribly anxious for my friend in the dream thinking he could turn on her.