Nights Never With Mares?

[hollyberrytea]

Unlike.. a lot of PTSD sufferers.. I don't experience terrible dreams. Like ever. Maybe 10 times in my whole life of sleep. I often have fantastic interesting dreams with fun adventures and stuff...

And another thing... I can sleep. LONG. VERY LONG. I can sleep 15hours+ if I want, easily.

I want to know if anyone else has something weird like this instead of nightmares and not sleeping enough?

 

[Deleted member 1860]

You're not alone. My nightmares only come in the daytime when I nap, and since I avoid napping, I don't have nightmares.

I also sleep a LOT! I get tired easily from all the adrenaline surges. I can sleep 12 hours, wake up, get triggered into a flashback, get exhausted and go right back to bed.

I think it's important to know that we all experience PTSD just a little bit differently, so your symptoms may not align with others symptoms.

In fact, I was misdiagnosed almost my whole life because my flashbacks aren't the "typical" flashbacks that professionals look for. Frustrating to say the least!

Welcome!

 

[LhasaLover]

I have always loved to sleep. Pretending everything is normal takes a lot of energy... lots! I also related to ScaredOfLonely's adrenaline surges.

There's definitely not a one size fits all set of symptoms... and they may morph and change throughout recovery.

Welcome! Look forward to your future posts!!

LL

 

[Sick of Fear]

Hollyberrytea, welcome to the forum! I think it's wonderful that you're able to have amazing dreams! My meds knock me out so hard that I don't remember my dreams. In my case, that's not such a bad thing though.

As previously mentioned, everyone's symptoms are different in some ways, but we can all relate to one another on many levels.

ScaredOfLonely, I think you have just helped me find a reason for my recent exhaustion! I've been extremely anxious the past two weeks, and all I want to do is sleep!

Best wishes to all.

 

[Away From The Sun]

Actually, the more anxious/nervous I feel, the more I force myself to oversleep to escape whatever the heck is bothering me. However, if I am too nervous, my mind won't shut off for 3+ hours sometimes.

I hardly ever have flashblacks or nightmares but criterion c of the PTSD diagnoses is where my most intense symptoms seem to be.

I also relate to the adrenaline surges a lot. Most of the time, I feel like adrenaline is slow-dripping in my body like it is part of my daily diet... I don't need caffeine because I already have some "natural caffeine" in the works.

 

[love2readbooks]

I think you all are on to something. I could sleep 12+ if only I had the time. I am always exhausted. My nightmares, usually happen during daytime sleep also, and usually normal vivid nighttime dreams.

 

[rainy_daze]

I have always loved to sleep. Pretending everything is normal takes a lot of energy... lots!

Putting a normal face on is exhausting LL, I totally agree. You think it would get easier as you get older, pretending you're fine, but it seems to get harder and require greater energy.

@hollyberrytea: I sleep as much as I physically can, which involves waking up and then deciding I can't face the day so I go straight back to sleep and this can happen several times. I could sleep for 12 hours easily. I would say this is what happens when I am extremely depressed.

The other pattern is I don't sleep a lot or at all. I sometimes feel too frightened to sleep, I don't want to sleep, or I really want to sleep but no matter how hard I try my brain will not switch off, and this insomnia lasts for a few weeks until I finally get into a normal pattern from exhaustion (or back to sleeping as much as I can). I would say the insomnia occurs more when I am anxious and stressed.

I pretty much go between these two states. I managed to get into a good sleeping routine a while ago but it all fell apart again when counselling wasn't going so well. I have horrible nightmares. They are less now than they used to be but more graphic. Sometimes they wake me up. Sometimes the most awful ones are because I have woken up and went back to sleep. I have had nice dreams over the past few years, but I never remember them, I just remember being annoyed at being awoken during a nice dream.

I think you are normal to sleep a lot but not have nightmares, it isn't weird; everyone is different.

 

[hollyberrytea]

@rainy_daze; yeah, I get like that too. The on off sleeping a lot thing. But not as much anymore the insomnia. I sometimes am terrified to sleep at night, but I usually pass out in 1-3hours and end up sleeping very long without issues. More so lately, if I sleep over 12hours, I'm depressed, if less then I'm usually feeling okay. I've been feeling horrible the past few days, so I've been sleeping a ton. My bf is mad I'm not up enough haahha.

 

[rainy_daze]

My bf is mad I'm not up enough haahha.

He should learn to sleep more. Sleep is essential. Seriously though, I suppose it would be rubbish for him but as long as he understands you cannot help it and you're not sleeping for hours and hours on purpose.

It's good that you recognise the sleeping, I hadn't figured that out about myself until quite recently, that I was swinging from one to the other, but once you know about it you can start trying to change it, it is just a difficult habbit to break (for me it has been anyway). I wish you all the best for starting to feel ok again.

 

[hollyberrytea]

Sleep is essential.

Yesyesyes hahaha.

It was easy for me to notice. Sleeping 24hours at random times without being physically ill. Or just sleeping 20hours in general.. I thought it was crazy weird. My friends know me as a sleeper. Haha. Of course I can't sleep 20hours as I please unless I'm on breaks hahaha.

 

[LhasaLover]

Hi All,

There's a great blog called the Redhead Riter, who has PTSD. She is very funny and has a love of life if you are looking for a good distraction.

 

[healthbuilder]

Unlike.. a lot of PTSD sufferers.. I don't experience terrible dreams. Like ever. Maybe 10 times in my whole life of sleep. I often have fantastic interesting dreams with fun adventures and stuff...

And another thing... I can sleep. LONG. VERY LONG. I can sleep 15hours+ if I want, easily.

I want to know if anyone else has something weird like this instead of nightmares and not sleeping enough?

Hi,
I will consider sleeping is one of my Hobby. I can sleep 16+ hours per, if there I'm free.