Nightmares...maybe REM isn't such a good thing

[Elle]

I don't know if I wasn't dreaming the last few years or wasn't remembering but twice in the last couple of weeks really scary dreams have woken me up and I spend the day feeling 'off' because they seemed so real.

I got my S9 in December (after years at too low a pressure) and recently had the range tightened to 9-14. Is it possible that our bodies take some time (few months) to get used to settling into good sleep stages? I think I preferred not dreaming.

Just curious to hear from sleep studiers.

[StevenWinters]

I like to think of nightmares as just free horror movies.

[Guest]

I don't know if I wasn't dreaming the last few years or wasn't remembering but twice in the last couple of weeks really scary dreams have woken me up and I spend the day feeling 'off' because they seemed so real.

I got my S9 in December (after years at too low a pressure) and recently had the range tightened to 9-14. Is it possible that our bodies take some time (few months) to get used to settling into good sleep stages? I think I preferred not dreaming.

Just curious to hear from sleep studiers.

Try straight pressure. If the machine is changing pressures during the stages in which you're dreaming, it could be having an adverse effect on them.


.

[Starlette]

During the four years on xpap, my dreams have all been different. For those nights I had nightmares, my husband refers to them as "night terrors". I do agree with you absolutely Elle, I'd prefer not to dream than to have nightmares. Hubbs gave me an idea once upon a time: By telling him the dream, the dream loses its power to repeat itself. For me that has worked over the years. Also I have kept a sleep journal for the past several years. Honestly, I haven't seen anything unusual when nightmares do occur (NOTE: I do document nights when I've had nightmares).

My thoughts:
I do agree with Guest at trying straight pressure for a while. See if things improve.
Suggestion: Try tightening up your range a wee bit more. Me? I use 9.5 - 12.5. For me, I don't wish to have a wide range. Again, IMHO.
Suggestion: You may want to invest into a Zeo, then you can verify what your REM stages look like and compare that data to the nights you have nightmare. This way, you have something solid and tangible to compare with.
Suggestion: You may also want to keep a sleep journal and see if there are patterns that may need further looking into.

Starlette

[portiemom]

I totally agree with Starlette, I keep a sleep journal, and it helps to write down the nightmares, they do not repeat as they use to. I do have one reoccuring dream that does repeat, but it's done that since childhood, and I have managed that nightmare with some relaxing exercises. I have had to keep my Autoset at straight cpap mode, but on Spring Break, Winter Break, and Summertime (school is out, so I'm not working) I switch to auto mode with a tight range. Hope this helps you, as those terrors are really awf ul.

[jem]

Hi
I have only recently started on Cpap treatment (2 months now) & after trialling bought a machine last week. (I have also trialled several different types of masks as being a side sleeper very few are comfortable). I rarely dreamed before and could never remember much of them if I ever did but now I have very vivid dreams every night. I recognise people, colours and people "talk" in my dreams. I never had anything like this before and did not realise it related to the treatment, I thought it was the continual wakening due to being uncomfortable with the mask pressing into my face. I have an automatic machine.

[Suzjohnson]

Funny you should mention this as I'm still reeling from one I had yesterday. Not a nightmare exactly but full of grief and pain and I awoke doing what Oprah calls, the ugly cry. Dreams have always been incredibly vivid for me so it kind of surprises me that I didn't notice I wasn't having them for a long time. If dreams are an outlet for the unconscious mind and it hasn't been able to express itself for a while, I guess it's healthy to be dreaming again. But, I'm so with you! I could do without the dreams that rip my heart out, or in your case, scare the wits out of me. Keeping a journal is a good thing but don't dwell on the details of the dream. Just note, for example, "Nightmare, men with axes again." If you have a calendar with large squares for each day and you jot down tidbits on this, it's easier to see a pattern if it's cyclical. I always ask myself how this dream represents something that is occurring in my life right now. That can make for some very interesting scribbling.

Suz, who is very much in favor of sweet dreams.

[Starlette]

In my sleep journal, I only document the word "Nightmares" just to note the occurrence.
I don't document what the dream was about. Only with few exceptions have I documented "briefly" the dream.
Again, with few exceptions.

Starlette

[jem]

Hi again

As a new person to Cpap treatment I have read with interest many of the topics discussed as many are relevant & informative & encouraging!
Could you tell me if anyone has ever discussed the condition called gout. I was recently diagnosed with this (I do not drink red wine) and the doctor told me it was a possible side effect of suffering with sleep apnea (plus other factors).
Apparently the oxygen starved cells give off the acid which cause the painful joint crystals in the feet.
Have you read of any others on the forum comment on this?

[BlackSpinner]

REM sleep in important to your health. It happens every 90 minutes of the sleep cycle (approximately).

If you are waking up with dreams that is both good and bad. Good in that you are REM dreaming, bad in that it is triggering events that wake you up. Check your data. You may want to increase the top number. REM dreaming causes sleep paralysis to stop you from acting out your dreams (sleep walking) and that might trigger more events requiring more pressure.

If you have been REM deprived then your mind will make up for it. Also dealing with the years of being choked in your sleep will be processed.

A good program on dreams is pbs's "what are dreams" http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/body/what-are-dreams.html

[Elle]

Thanks for all the great replies. I will check out that Nova page.

What worried me were the body responses post bad dream. I had a racing heart and had a hard time setting down all day. My dad woke up having had a stroke and I have heard that many strokes occur in the early hours so I wondered whether nightmares might cause some of them? A racing heart rate and raised blood pressure is not good.

I will tighten up my pressure. I hadn't thought of that. My numbers and leak rates are always pretty good so I think I am getting good therapy but this bad dream thing is new. I have PTSD so I don't handle any kind of arousal well.

Thanks for the responses.

To the person asking about gout you should probably start a new topic to get more responses. People seeing my topic title would not think of gout.

[Suzjohnson]

A good program on dreams is pbs's "what are dreams" http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/body/what-are-dreams.html

I read the transcript, it was very interesting! Thanks for posting the link BlackSpinner.

Suz

[BlackSpinner]

What worried me were the body responses post bad dream. I had a racing heart and had a hard time setting down all day.

I will tighten up my pressure. I hadn't thought of that. My numbers and leak rates are always pretty good so I think I am getting good therapy but this bad dream thing is new. I have PTSD so I don't handle any kind of arousal well.
.

Before you tighten up the pressure check you data. You may need MORE pressure for dreaming. If you didn't have much REM in your sleep study, the pressure may be too low.

[Elle]

My sleep study (2006) showed that I needed a pressure of 10. My machine until last december was set wrong (8) and I didn't find out until I got the S9 that I required a higher pressure. I gained weight so am not surprised. I have it set 9-14 and my 95% is 13+ I don't often get to the 14 mark so I think it is ok. I may figure out how to change it to go in the range of 10-14. Not sure that will make a difference.

[nanwilson]

You might also check what you eat or drink for dinner or snack close to going to bed. Some foods and drinks take longer to digest and interupt your sleep very easily. I know one of my daughters would get nightmares the night we had italian or mexican food for dinner. She would frequently sleep walk on those nights too. If you keep a journal, then add what you had for dinner or drinks and at what time you consummed it....might be a clue.