Night terrors

@FloatingFeather

Thank you so much for making me feel normal.

Night terrors are awful and I have I injured myself, that's for sure.

I guess some kind of humour helps. I remember once staying in a motel. I had a nice bath and went to bed. I don't believe I was stressed

Somehow I've woken up standing there holding the motel door.open.

Somehow I also must have gotten too hot in my sleep, because I looked down to find I was only wearing a very skimpy tshirt 🤣🤣

I still shiver to this day thinking that if I had taken one more step out of the door I would have found myself in the motel hallway, locked out of my room, basically naked !!

And please, I'm ok with anyone laughing despite how weird and potentially more traumatising outcomes these night terrors can do !!

Hi @calmsoul and welcome to the forums. I used to have both night terrors and nightmares. The nightmares used to put me in an unsafe place as I would often not be aware of reality when I woke and feel I was right back in the trauma. The night terrors were a little different - I would wake feeling unsafe and absolutely scared of everything. Medication has helped me get on top of both (mainly) but I still do have times they rear their ugly head. Those times are often when I have been triggered by something and not completely dealt with it before sleeping. I do now deal with these triggers better - mainly because I acknowledge them, sit with them and then do a variety of things to get through them ....one being talking to other members here.

Our brains are certainly complex beasts but being aware of their complexities and working out what works for us individually is a great first step forward. Have you considered keeping a diary/journal of these times so you can link in any events/triggers/situations that may pre-empt these night terrors?

@Zoe7

Hey there. Thank you for your reply. I'm sorry you too have these awful nightmares/terrors

And please excuse my warped humour because I do fully understand how it feels.

If anything, I'm more mocking myself. As I know how scary they are.

I have tried many different techniques too. And try to put in strategies to reduce my terrors. And it has helped immensely. I know what you mean 😊

I think just sometimes they can just come, no matter my interventions, as perhaps I haven't consciously known of a trigger but my little brain, deep down has recognised it and decided to let me know during sleep !!

Yeah I get that @calmsoul Sometimes they just happen - no reason nor trigger. I find the more under stress I am, the more they happen so doing calming things before bed often help - but not always. It is those times they come for no apparent reason that unsettle me the most - so I very much get it.

@Zoe7

Oh thank you kindly for sharing your story and reassuring me that they can happen no matter what interventions we do.

I am a great supporter too of all the interventions.

It's just nice to know that I'm not judged here, and I'm not trying to sound pesermistic.

It can just be so exhausting training my brain !!

I jump when the toast pops out of the toaster !!

But I can't be bothered standing there and lifting it up before it pops 🤣🤣 I gotta go make my coffee too 🤣🤣

LOL @calmsoul I had to giggle at the toast popping up - I do that too ...even if I am standing there and know it is about to happen!!!!

...and @calmsoul it is not pessimistic when it is our reality 👍😁

@Zoe7

I know right 🤣 who jumps at bloody toast 🤣🤣 we do !!

My friends all know how easily startled I am.

I reckon if I was lined up on a 100metre start line with Usain Bolt, I reckon once that start gun went off. And despite parts of my body now beating me down the track. I reckon I'd beat him 🤣

Hahaha @calmsoul your shoes would most likely still be on the blocks at the starting line whilst the rest of you tore down the track 😛 I have a very small but very loud dog and he sometimes barks in his sleep (he sleeps on the pillow next to me) ...I am surprised I don't have holes in my ceiling at how high I jump lol