Anxiety, dreams & lack of sleep

[MissiD]

A year ago I had what I will call a bit of a break down due to stress-related anxiety which led to panic attacks, agoraphobia etc... I've made good progress and am handling things much better now, I'm even back at work & being braver about venturing out. There are times however when I slip back into an anxious state, now being one of those times, and I have found that as well as getting a bad night sleep due to an overactive mind I seem to dream a lot more at these times. Does anyone else find this? Also with a lack of sleep comes a general groggy feeling the next morning/day, the feelings of which make me feel on edge and I tend to 'interpret' this as feelings of anxiety which can make me feel worse. I'm assuming this is normal but would like to hear if anyone else has or does have similar experiences and if anything has helped?

Thank you
Mel x

[Getting by..]

Hi Mel

I have similar issues to yours and also find that I am more aware of my dreams than I used to be - I have also found that my dreams are far more vivid than they used to be.

Are you taking any medications or have you changed any medication recently? As this could be causing this, however also when you say you are having diffciutlies sleeping are you just finding it hard to go to sleep or do you wake up a lot? I wake up a lot and often find this is when I remeber my dreams, almost like I have woken up in the middle of the dream or just towards the end of it so it is still very fresh in my mind.

Final point I guess it is possible, as you say your mind is very active at bed time that this is impacting on your dreams to, as your dreams may incorpoarte things which are bothering you anyway which may make feel more real/ make you more aware of them.

[MissiD]

Thank you.
It does make sense about an active mind impacting on dreams.
I generally find it hard to get to sleep due to the thoughts but have found recently that I'm waking more often. Whether this is due to the dreams or just that I remember dreams more beacuse I'm waking more, I'm not sure.
It's just rather frustrating as I'm sure if I could sleep better I'd feel better generally :wacko:
I'm not taking any meds so I suspect it's just down to those interfering thoughts!

Mel x

[june]

Just a bit different
- my anxiety is real bad at the moment and (just to be odd at this time)
I seem to go into a deeper sleep and have to be woken up at 7am by hubby - usually i am awake 3,4 and 5am often feeling stressed
- this time I am being woken out of deep sleep and wake in a panic.
For most of the morning i am quite depressed - do not want to go out or do anything.
June

[Getting by..]

It's really true that a good nights sleep makes everything feel better and there are loads of really great things you can try to help you sleep but if it doesn't get better see you GP as he/she maybe able to perscribe something short term to help you otherwise a lack of sleep will make you feel worse in the long run.