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  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    What tips do you have for dealing with recurring nightmares?

    Related Topics
    Depression Mental Health Physical, Emotional & Sexual Abuse
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    Dr Simon Easterbrook-Smith

    Health Professional

    My research interests include immunology and the mechanisms of amyloid formation. The latter has implications for people who are dealing with Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease … View Profile

    My suggestion is to try journalling (ie, writing down in a safe, private and secure place), your perceptions of what you have experienced during your nightmares.

    I don't get nightmares but I journal every day (recording my thoughts and feelings). That helps me to gain a sense of objectivity and I hope that the same might be true for you.

    I don't know if you have a mental health care team but, if so, you could consider sharing parts of your journal with them - they could have some insight to offer.

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  • Anonymous

    A bit off topic, I know, but can I ask what you do or intend to do with your journals. I've been keeping a journal for the past couple of years- and loving it.  Some of the stuff in there is intensely personal and could be easily misunderstood by a third party. Short of putting them in a locked box with clear instructions that they are to be burned with me when I die,  I'm not sure what to do with them.  Any suggestions?

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    Marian Spencer

    Counsellor

    Marian Spencer Counselling is a private practice located in Cornubia, South East QLD, and offers services Specifically for Women. I am a graduate member of … View Profile

    • Don’t keep the nightmare to yourself and dwell upon it throughout the day.
    • Dealing with this mentally on your own can only serve to inflate the problem and blow it out of all proportion.
    • Try talking to someone you feel comfortable with and you can trust and work through the nightmare with them.
    • Bringing the nightmare out into the open can be a valuable exercise to highlight the reason for it.  Whether it is a recent ‘bad experience’ or something more deep routed from your past. 
    • Engaging in some cognitive behaviour therapy and thought training can work wonders and is often very successful with this particular problem.
    • Of course there are other methods like meditation prior to going to bed.
    • Setting up the bedroom to make you feel secure. 
    • Taking a nice warm bath, winding down, listening to calming music and recalling happy events in your life as you get to sleep etc.

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  • Anonymous

    A nightmare, in my experience is like snoring. It's the person trying to sleep beside the man having the nightmare that is most affected. Some of your suggestions could work for me though.

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