nightmare
April 11, 2007 6:44 PM Subscribe
So, when I fall asleep on my back I almost always have really intense, cold-sweat, dreams that are almost always very stressful and nightmarish. This never happens when I sleep on my side. Why is this?
More. Bride of more. Son of more. Hardy perennial on MeFi. Had one last night myself.
posted by rdc at 7:16 PM on April 11, 2007
posted by rdc at 7:16 PM on April 11, 2007
It could be possible that when you fall asleep on your back, you suffer from obstructive sleep apnea, and that is interfering with a normal sleep cycle.
If you do have sleep apnea, get it checked.
posted by frogan at 7:38 PM on April 11, 2007
If you do have sleep apnea, get it checked.
posted by frogan at 7:38 PM on April 11, 2007
Possibly enlarged tonsils oand/or adenoids? But most likely apnea.
posted by lekvar at 7:41 PM on April 11, 2007
posted by lekvar at 7:41 PM on April 11, 2007
Nthing apnea.
I had UPPP/septoplasty, and these problems (along with a slew of related issues like constant fatigue, morning headaches, horrible snoring) vanished.
(And, by the way, you don't have to be hurf-durf to have apnea. I'm 5'11" and 145 lbs.)
posted by dmd at 8:05 PM on April 11, 2007
I had UPPP/septoplasty, and these problems (along with a slew of related issues like constant fatigue, morning headaches, horrible snoring) vanished.
(And, by the way, you don't have to be hurf-durf to have apnea. I'm 5'11" and 145 lbs.)
posted by dmd at 8:05 PM on April 11, 2007
Hi-5 on the UvuloPalatoPharyngeoPlasty dmd.
Mine helped, but boy was the recovery ever a bitch. The back of my throat has gone from high gothic to danish contemporary.
I vote apnea too.
posted by isopraxis at 8:40 PM on April 11, 2007
Mine helped, but boy was the recovery ever a bitch. The back of my throat has gone from high gothic to danish contemporary.
I vote apnea too.
posted by isopraxis at 8:40 PM on April 11, 2007
Do you not dream sleeping on your side or are they not nighmares¿
I love sleeping on my back, with my head between the pillows.
I love dreaming and yes occasionally they scare the crap out of me and are nightmarish and I wake up and think Jesus./ Then I write them down, have a mint tea if I can't get back to sleep. The fact I have them and remember them is a gift to me.
If they happen more than a few days in a row, I may take your advice and sleep on my side initially, gift or not./
posted by alicesshoe at 9:14 PM on April 11, 2007
I love sleeping on my back, with my head between the pillows.
I love dreaming and yes occasionally they scare the crap out of me and are nightmarish and I wake up and think Jesus./ Then I write them down, have a mint tea if I can't get back to sleep. The fact I have them and remember them is a gift to me.
If they happen more than a few days in a row, I may take your advice and sleep on my side initially, gift or not./
posted by alicesshoe at 9:14 PM on April 11, 2007
Everything written in this thread will be mere speculation. Dreams are one of life's great mysteries. The more studies done - the more we realize we don't know much.
posted by Gerard Sorme at 9:34 PM on April 11, 2007
posted by Gerard Sorme at 9:34 PM on April 11, 2007
This has happened to me for as long as I can recall. If you think it's sleep apnea, I'll save you the useless trip to the doctor and tell you what mine told me about it.
1. To see if it really is sleep apnea, you'll have to do a sleep study. It costs. A lot. If you indeed have sleep apnea and your tonsils are the problem, you can get them sliced out after the study OR get a CPAP machine.
2. The easiest alternative to easier sleep/breathing is to sleep on your side. A body pillow will help you greatly in this quest.
However, I've found that if I want to sleep on my back I can do so without the horrible multiple nightmare shock therapy if I sleep with my arms crossed above my head.
FWIW, I recently inherited a salt lamp and I've been leaving it turned on when I sleep. I don't know if either the "negative ion" or whatever hocus pocus is working its magic or else its subtle nightlight qualities just make it less alarming during the mid-night wakings, but I must say I've been sleeping waaay better since I got it.
posted by zippity at 10:32 PM on April 11, 2007
1. To see if it really is sleep apnea, you'll have to do a sleep study. It costs. A lot. If you indeed have sleep apnea and your tonsils are the problem, you can get them sliced out after the study OR get a CPAP machine.
2. The easiest alternative to easier sleep/breathing is to sleep on your side. A body pillow will help you greatly in this quest.
However, I've found that if I want to sleep on my back I can do so without the horrible multiple nightmare shock therapy if I sleep with my arms crossed above my head.
FWIW, I recently inherited a salt lamp and I've been leaving it turned on when I sleep. I don't know if either the "negative ion" or whatever hocus pocus is working its magic or else its subtle nightlight qualities just make it less alarming during the mid-night wakings, but I must say I've been sleeping waaay better since I got it.
posted by zippity at 10:32 PM on April 11, 2007
I asked this a few weeks ago, and was not really taken seriously by many people. Oh, well. It still happens to me and I've become curious enough about it and dreams in general that I'm going to take a class on the psychology of dreams at New York University this summer.
I'll let you know if we come to any conclusions.
posted by infinityjinx at 11:57 PM on April 11, 2007
I'll let you know if we come to any conclusions.
posted by infinityjinx at 11:57 PM on April 11, 2007
For what it's worth, I find that when I sleep in a position where my eyes aren't completely shut, my dreams are far more vivid. It happens rarely and than only for a short period of less than an hour.
posted by kc0dxh at 7:50 AM on April 12, 2007
posted by kc0dxh at 7:50 AM on April 12, 2007
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by duckstab at 6:52 PM on April 11, 2007