Stopped Remembering Dreams? Advice?

[Hope4Now]

Hi out there. I used to remember my dreams, but I don't anymore. As a child, I had persistent and recurring nightmares that ran along several themes, but I also remember a recurring good dream. Somehow as I started getting older, my dreams just gradually vanished. I didn't really notice. I'm 50 years old now.

Now that I am suddenly dealing with all sorts of remembered trauma as well as the possibility that things have happened to me that I don't remember (I have all these weird physical things going on that have yet to reveal their sources to me), I'm wishing I could remember my dreams...even if they are bad ones. I wake up regularly (2-6 times) at night, and often am in an agitated/hypervigilant state. I realized a couple of months ago that I have been mostly dissociated for as long as I can remember. I'm working hard--and having some good success--on staying in my body and in the present during my waking hours, but is it possible to dissociate even while you're sleeping? Is there anything I can do to encourage my own dream memory? I'd welcome people's feedback on this.

 

[franciemarnie]

I have heard that you are supposed to say to yourself before you sleep, I want to remember my dreams. Sort of giving your brain a directive. You are supposed to say that every night a few times before you (hopefully) drift off.

Then when you wake, I heard it said you are supposed to lay there with eyes closed and blank your mind - allowing the evanescent dreams to upload before they vanish.

That sort of worked for me.

There was a time in my 30's, I'd had enuf of the nightmares and I'd say I don't want to remember my dreams anymore every night before I slept. And they pretty much stopped coming to mind although I did get night terrors from time to time. And I still felt the exhausting and emotional response to nightmares I didn't remember.

I remember maybe 2% of my night time dreams now in my 50's. But when I take day time naps, I get extremely vivid realistic dreams that are very very helpful and enlightening. Not hardly ever at night though.

Maybe my mind still thinks the night time ones are forbidden to remain!

 

[greenleaf]

Some medications can shorten the dream stage of sleep.

 

[Hope4Now]

Yes, you're right, greenleaf. though I am not on any medication at all except occasional ibuprophen for pain.

 

[macca]

@Hope4Now I'm right with you on this - having the same problem. I'm having so many dreams lately, and often am waking up very dissociated which lasts for hours. It's frustrating. It's not just nightmares, but I know I'm having dreams that seem significant, I just forget most of them. I've written down the very few I can remember, and found it helpful. So far, telling myself I'm going to remember my dreams as I go to sleep hasn't been working well. My mind likes to keep stuff locked away even from myself. Sometimes I can salvage them if I write down key words immediately - I can then recall slightly more that way. When I do manage it, it's been very helpful for me.

 

[Hope4Now]

Going to try to go to sleep now and tell myself to remember my dreams. Unfortunately, I've had an INCREDIBLY triggering night (didn't dissociate though...yay...miserable but yay for me). Yikes, help, started to post a thread on the triggers and then it was just too complicated because all about talking with my husband about our sexual relationship. LOL no forum topics for that! At this rate, maybe I won't need my dreams to reveal to me what the hell has happened to me in my past that is wreaking this havoc in my life.
I'll work on the dream remembering suggestions you all have given and keep you posted.

 

[macca]

I just realised where I read something relevant to this - it was my own thread (LOL), and I was frustrated and upset at not knowing for sure what had happened to me as a young child. I was directed to the following extract from yet another thread, and got some very sage advice from Hashi - look at Post #17, the last two paragraphs.

https://www.myptsd.com/threads/passing-a-lie-detector-test.39529/

She advises here to consider whether we are ready to dig up stuff we might not be ready for yet. I hope you were able to get something useful from your dreams, without digging too deep and pushing yourself to cope before you are ready. Sorry I didn't post it sooner, my memory is shot.

 

[macca]

One more! This is a post from Hashi again, that leads on from that last one I posted: Post #25

https://www.myptsd.com/threads/self-doubt-can-you-get-flashbacks-without-ptsd.39564/

If I am way off base, let me know, as I am easily confused lately! Just thought with your comment that you wanted your dreams to tell you what happened, that made it click.

 

[Hope4Now]

I'll read these. Thank you. Maybe I am pushing myself too much, but so many things are intensifying and last night was so upsetting on so many levels. I'm just driving myself nuts.

 

[GG-love]

I completely can relate. I have been having a dreamless period for a few weeks as well with waking up and feeling distressed and fearful. I also upon reflection realized that I had multiple small triggering events that I was not dealing with.

I believe my dreams are locked in my subconscious for a reason and that what ever they were helping me work out on that level is assisting in bringing me peace on a wakeful level. At some point though I believe that the dam will break and there will be a break through. Until then I try to relax and allow my subconscious to work through whatever it is as much as it can.

 

[Hope4Now]

@GG-love, thanks for this. Yes, I need to learn patience with my subconscious.

 

[ABCD123488876543]

Just thought I'd put this out there... I don't have PTSD, nor do I know a whole lot about it. I came across this thread because I have also recently noticed that while I used to remember dreams at least a few times a week- some more vividly than others, but frequently themes which actually helped me discover things about myself and sort out some of my emotions- I now don't even know the last time I remembered one. I came across another article where a specialist explained that studies have linked remembering dreams to stress and anxiety. So in many cases, not remembering them could be a sign of reduced stress/anxiety in your life. As someone with PTSD, I wonder if this could be a good sign, that as you get further away from the trauma, you are suffering less from stress and anxiety. Completely speculating here, I am no expert. Just one possibility.