Adult nightmares

[shi1975]

My husband informed me that I have been screaming and thrashing in my sleep for some time.  I don't remember any of the nightmares that I have had.  
I do wake up in the morning tired with no energy and I have to try really hard to stay awake at work.  I sometimes nod off while driving.  
As of late, I've been falling asleep around 8 p.m. and waking about 12 a.m. to move from the couch to our bedroom, and can not go back to sleep untill 2 a.m.  After I fall asleep again, I wake up around 4 a.m. and dose off and on untill 5 a.m. then I'm wide awake.  I'm usually good to go untill 12 p.m. then I have to fight sleep.  
HELP!!!

[RobgirlPC]

I have just woke up from that sorta dream.. Terrified 2 go bak 2 sleep! Dis is d second time iv had dis type a dream bt dis 1 ws worse.. First I would wake up in my bed, I wouldn't move I'd jus lay der and I heard footsteps of a little girl it sounded like who jump inta my bed beside me and I would lay der still & scared and try 2 blank her ou til I tried ta wake myself up or jus sleep thru it.. It feels so real!! But tonight it ws worse, aftr d littl girl I cud hear a voice aswell at d same time it sounded lik a black man and I could feel him beside me Talkin and strokin my leg.. Den in parts of d dream I felt lik I ws bein pulled frm my bed.. My body jus started slidin upwards? Den at 1 point I ws sittin totally vertical and Neva noticed I ws until I had fallen ova onto my stomach.. I felt possessed.. It's hard 2 explain.. And I tried and tried 2 wake myself up so many times bt evry time I felt lik I woke up d people wud come bak and I hadn't woken at al.. It's scarin me wa can I do 2 prevent?

[Dr Vinod]

Nightmares are vividly realistic, disturbing dreams that rattle you awake from a deep sleep. They often set your heart pounding from fear. Nightmares tend to occur most often during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, when most dreaming takes place. Because periods of REM sleep become progressively longer as the night progresses, you may find you experience nightmares most often in the early morning hours.

Withdrawal from medications and substances, including alcohol and tranquilizers, may trigger nightmares. If you notice a difference in your nightmare frequency after a change in medication, talk with your doctor.

Sleep deprivation may contribute to adult nightmares, which themselves often cause people to lose additional sleep. There can be a number of psychological triggers that cause nightmares in adults. For example, anxiety,post-traumatic stress disorder and depression can cause adult nightmares.

Keeping a regular wake-sleep schedule is important. So is engaging in regular exercise, which will help alleviate nightmare-causing anxiety and stress. You may find that yoga and meditation are also helpful. Make your bedroom a relaxing, tranquil place that is reserved for sleep and sex, so that you don't associate it with stressful activities. Also, be cautious about the use of alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine, which can remain in your system for more than 12 hours and often disrupt sleep patterns.

If this does not help then visit a neurologist.