ANXIETY AND DREAMS..HELP!!!!

[cillasoill]

I have dreams every night, and I usually wake up probably 2-3 times a night..which is the reason why I remember my dreams.  It's easy for me to go back to sleep less than 10 minutes.  Most of my dreams have recurring symbols or themes.   These dreams are the root of why I have anxieties because I always worry about these dreams fortelling death or bad negative things happening in the future.  I look up the dream symbols of certain things I remember, and some things are positive and some are negative.  The negative ones make me worry the most.  Is this normal for some people who have anxiety or sleeping problems?  I know people dream everyday, and most of the time we don't remember our dreams.  But does anyone wake up a few times during the night, after a dream  whether it's a good dream or bad dream or a weird dream?   I really don't know what to do...I currently take Buspar for Genarlized Anxiety Disorder.  Before I started taking it, I still had dreams...but it wasn't as often as it is now.  I always wake up 1-4 times a night after every dream.   Is it my anxieties or have I developed a sleeping problem? Could it be the medication?   I need help...I just want to be able to sleep normally like I used to.  

[jellybean14fun]

I have very bad sleep sessions as it is...but when I was taking antidepressants, my dreams & nightmares were many a night, & such vivid horrible ones.  I put it down to the antidepressants.  Every person is different, some get dreams/nightmares, some dont.  Since I have been off antidepressants for 5 weeks, I've hardly had any nightmares in the last 2 weeks, & my dreams are becoming less vivid & no so the same weird issue.  'Buspar' may fall into the same category as Antidepressants - which to me is, because its trying to correct the chemical imbalance in your head.

I'd talk to your Psych doctor about this if it becomes more bothersome for you.

Take care.

[elitekid]

Yeah I seem to have recurring dreams about school friends all the time. Whenever I dream about people it is always about my school friends. I can't remember the last time I dreamt about anybody else in my life that I know. I always seem to be on a school trip too. It's so strange!

[KatEyes]

For a long time I was journaling my dreams, and found most to fit a theme of trouble talking, swallowing, breathing. Dreams of suffocating. Dreams of drowning. Dreams of kidnap victims having their mouths stuffed and taped. A doctor I saw said this is sometimes reported by patients with sleep apnea. Turns out I have it. Since my apnea is under control with cpap use, I haven't had any dreams like that.

Story-like dreams happen mostly during REM, and dreams are best remembered when awakened during them, and sleep apnea is often worst during REM and can cause awakenings.Add to that the anxiety that can come from inefficient sleep and the adrenaline surges that come with apnea events, and it seems reasonable for you to be evaluated for the possibility of sleep apnea.