Question
i have been reading a lot tonight about sleep disorders. i have not been diagnosed with one by a doctor, but i definitely have a problem. i am just fine all day, but at night, even when the lights are on, i feel like something is watching me. the only time that i am able to fall asleep is with the lights on and the tv going or if i take sleeping pills. and then the nightmares are constant. i'll wake up and can't go back to sleep because of it. i feel quite ridiculous. i'm 23 and i'm afraid of the dark...any advice?
Answer
If the nightmares affect your daytime functioning it could be narcolepsy, however that is not what you are describing. You should try to stay away from the following things 3 hours before bedtime, caffeine, tea, coffee, alcohol, caramel colored soda like coke, pepsi, ginger ale, chocolate and exercise all these make for restless sleep. 30 minutes before bedtime take a hot bath, and l5 minutes before bedtime drink a glass of warm milk. Milk when heated contains tryptophan a natural amino acid sleep inducer also try going to sleep with soft mellow dentist type music in the background to relax you. As far as sleeping pills go taking them may help however when you miss a day the nightmares come back triple so its best to stay away from them if you are on them reduce the dosage gradually instead of stopping them completely at once. Go to sleepnet.com for more information click on disorders nightmares, also there is one more symptom of narcolepsy which you dont have however its natural phenomnenon called hypnangogic hallucinations what happens is that instead of the brain and body going to sleep together and awakening they lag behind for a nano second so one is dreaming with ones eyes open, nightmares can be so frightening that even 30 minutes when your up you still are checking under the bed. Why this happens research does not know if it happens constantly as stated and daytime wakefulness is effected than its a sleep disorder perhaps knowing its normal phenomneon may help. Now if it goes beyond coping with it, see a sleep center for a sleep study, where they may put you on meds to hold back the dreaming which are antidepressants in baby doses however we are wired that we must dream and sleep as this is the way our bodies recoup from being awake all day so even with the meds the dreams still break thru. Go to sleepnet.com click on disorders narcolepsy and read about the symptom hypnangoic halluciantions, feel free to email again karel
