How to Decrease Nightmares

Having nightmares may feel overwhelming at times -- as nightmares are known to interrupt sleep patterns and cause distress during daily schedules and events (due to lack of sleep or night terrors). Decreasing and ridding nightmares is possible with a bit of research, and solutions will vary depending on the intensity of your nightmares along with your own personality and fears.

Things You'll Need

• Dream journal

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Instructions

• 1

  Keep or create a dream journal next to your bed on a night stand. Write your dreams each morning after you wake and before getting out of bed (to include the most detail). Include information and everything you remember relating to the nightmares you are having.

• 2

  Talk with someone close to you, such as a friend or family member, about the nightmares you are having to express the exact actions and issues occurring within the dreams -- which will help you make sense or understand why you are having these nightmares.

• 3

  Re-write a recurring nightmare, giving it an ending which is pleasant -- solving the nightmare in your mind before going to sleep. This may help you when revisiting the nightmare and you may feel more control over what is happening once you understand the details in writing.

• 4

  Think positive thoughts and about places you would like to visit before falling asleep, rather than anywhere or anything related to the nightmares you are having. This may help to distract your brain from the nightmare -- resulting in a pleasant dream instead.

• 5

  Create a food journal if the nightmares are occurring when you eat specific foods or drinks -- as you may have a food allergy. Slowly eliminate foods one by one in your diet to see if the nightmares continue and to find the issue.