Living alone
 

There are so many great things about living alone. There are also crappy things ( and I know it goes both ways for living with others, as well.) Here is the newest crappy thing I have discovered:

I have always had fitful dreams. Sometimes, I have dreams that are so freaking cool I'm bummed when I wake up that it wasn't true (like the time I was on a space ship, seemed so real.) Often, though, the dreams are not so pretty.

I woke myself up yelling/groaning at least twice last night that I remember. After I wake up, I catch my breath and go get a drink of water, but I remember when I was with someone. There was something comforting about waking up in that state and having someone ask if you were OK.

If you have a nightmare alone at night and scream, and no one is there to hear, do you make a sound? :p

Anyone else get the night terrors? I was watching a Lunesta commerical last night and I had to laugh. Apparently, Lunesta makes everyone fall asleep on their back, with their head tilted to their left at a 45 degree angle, and they never move or turn over all night. They wake up to a sunshiney day just smiling their heads off. Perhaps I should try that? Kind of a Stepford Sleeper?

I'm truly sorry your dreams can be so troubling. It makes me feel silly about the 'problem' I thought I had when I became single again a few years ago.

While I had always had my share of dreams (rarley being very troubling ones), I was worried to realize that for many months I was unable to recall having dreamed at all. It took a few months of coming to grips with being alone again to sleep normally.

In retrospect, it wasn't anything so serious; in comparison to your situation it was a cakewalk. I would like to wish you many, many lovely dreams in the coming months. Sleep well, sweet Shawnee.

I sometimes wake from dreams and am left disturbed. Not as often as I used to. I find I am worse if I don't have my dog in the house (e.g if I've been out from early til late and left him at mum's house for the night).

You're very sweet, Uisge. It's not really horrible, I just wonder if my quality of sleep is lacking, which could explain why it's so easy for me to sleep away a weekend afternoon, and why I'm tired so much (of course, this lets my crappy ass stressful job off the hook and I'm not sure I want to go there.) :p

Maybe it's just normal?

don't know about those Lunesta commercials. Why would I want bugs flying around me in my sleep?

I live alone and LOVE IT. But I very rarely get nightmares.

Shucks, ma'am, you just bring out the best in some of us. :blush:

It certainly is normal to have bad dreams when under stress, and I do believe you will feel tired if it happens with any frequency. Anyhow, what is 'normal'? -- you're better than just normal. Maybe it would help to think about that before going to sleep, and to heck with Lunesta. ;)

And the worst in many others. ;)

I don't know who you are or where you came from or where I should send the checks, but I thank you for being so kind.:)

No thanks are necessary -- you just seem like a terrific person.

But, if you really feel the need to send money.........naw, just kiddin'. :D

Don't overlook the advantages of living alone, of which there are many.

The disadvantage of NOT living alone is, when you wake up yelling/screaming, you scare the living crap out of the other person!

And they want an explanation like right now, when you may not even know yourself, yet.

does anyone else ever get "stuck" between being awake and asleep. it's like your body is sleeping but your brain is awake and you cant really move or make a sound?

When I was single I had terrible nightmares almost on a nightly basis. I wouldn't suggest trying to manage that alone. I hired a therapist that specialized in Jungian psychology to outline the dreams I was having, and she patiently went through the worst with me. I would suggest getting the help of a professional and starting a dream diary. She concluded that the magnitude and regularity of my nightmares are actually a sign of a "gifted" person. Intellectually I got this but I didn't feel gifted at all. I should have kept up with these sessions because it simply just got worse and I ended up sleep-walking and scaring the heck out of someone I was dating. (I went to his fridge in my sleep started eating his raw pork) Uuuuugh.....Despite telling him before-hand of this condition he got terrified of me. I asked him to just wake me up, and no matter how mobile and awake I seem, I am probably asleep. Don't be like ME! That wasn't the only instance of me being completely mobile and sleeping either. It only gets worse if you don't have a guide. (therapy) Strangely enough this doesn't happen to me anymore. I don't know if settling down with my husband and not being alone anymore contributed to the cessation of these horrible dreams and sleep escapades or not. I really think changing my environment (moving) made all the difference. Living in the country in a very peaceful environment seemed to work I guess? I went from very urban to very rural quite quickly and I think it might have been some urban stress disorder spin-off. I don't know. But seeing someone for this helps. :) It can get really ugly if you continue not to address it. Believe me. OR....maybe I can keep telling you more terrible stories until you give someone a call. You know as well as I do how disruptive to your daily life this can be. You start to think you're crazy and you're not. SEE someone!

Ack! Your story sounds awful, Cicero!

I may have a nightmare once every 2-3 YEARS. Soo obviously not gifted! That's okay!

Last night there were no terrors (i.e. no waking up yelling) but I tossed and turned and was in that between awake and not awake stage most of the night. I have a vague recollection that it had something to do with balancing accounts, and that is was stressful though not scary, but as I was dreaming it I was also thinking that I had dreamed that before. Weird.

Thanks Cicero. I don't sleepwalk, and I don't feel it's enough of an issue (yet) to seek help, but I do appreciate you pointing out that I'm gifted. ;)

Seriously, I never thought of it as a huge deal but as you pointed out I probably should be aware of potential problems.

Cloud, don't undergift yourself!

hmm, i have no nightmares - therefore, i must have no gifts:(

It's called "sleep paralysis". I think I've had it once, but if so it was long ago and I don't remember very well.

That is a gift in itself! You are so lucky.

I doubt it is ever that black and white......someone was just trying to make me feel better...........:rolleyes:

This response is also for everyone else that jumped to the same conclusion.
Just because my therapist said "gifted" because she was trying not to say "special" doesn't mean anyone here is talentless.