Nightmares,_______

[LifeHiscost]

________has anyone experienced them besides me? And do you place any significance on them if they do show up? How would you accept them re: the young and old men seeing visions and dreaming dreams?

"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye."

Psalm 32:8 NKJV

God blesses!

[olger]

Good question. I don't have an answer - except to say most dreams are dumb.

[Gail]

They're dumb with me, too... :(

[Dottie]

Mine can be scary, but they make so little sense, and mix so many parts and times of my life that I just discard them in the morning.

But I do tell my husband some of my dreams because they are so ridiculous.

[Naomi]

I don't think I have had nightmares, at least that I can remember.

But I have had some really good dreams that I enjoyed so much that I would almost wake and try to go back to sleep so I could finish my dream ... sometimes managed to resume the dream. And, there have been times when I would be working on a project and dream about it at night and find a way to solve a problem that I was experiencing.

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

I still remember a recurrent nightmare I had when I was about 6 yrs old. Trying to catch a huge frog that jumping around on a field of red grass... (my dad had brought home a frog he was dissecting in his university anatomy class)

[cricket]

I disagree with the people who says dreams are dumb. Dreams are the manifestation of what your mind is working on while you are asleep. If it seems "dumb" it is because your mind hasn't been able to make sense of the data and organize it in such a way that you'll be able to use.

As for nightmares, well, I think they're the result of over stimulation during the day. If you don't eat for at least two hours before bed, and don't watch television or use the computer, the nightmares will probably stop.

[phkrause]

Can't recall ever having a nightmare. Some crazy dreams though.

[Tom Wetmore]

Cricket, you are right. Dreams are the brain's sorting system and very necessary. Although I do disagree on the idea that nightmares are the result of overstimulation during the day or eating within a few hours of bedtime. What that does is disrupt normal sleep cycles which are most beneficial. We are simply more aware of any dreams during periods of lighter or restless sleep, and less likely to recall dreams during deep sleep.

Naomi, I also go back to sleep to finish a dream. I am also a lucid dreamer, which is may make easier to do that. A lucid dream is one in which you are aware you are dreaming and have the ability to participate in, and exert some degree of control over the dream. my earliest experience with this was actually with nightmares. Since they often wake you up at the climatic or most scary part, as a kid I would be disappointed miss the ending of the scary movie in my head. So I would go back to sleep and try to finish it. But then I like facing down and concurring my fears.

Dreaming is more likely to put include all systems in the the processing of sorting out events from memory. So emotions that have been suppressed or forced into the background during waking hours can come front and center. That we are uncomfortable with our dreams whether of a nightmarish nature or just weird may reflect an insecurity or fear we have. That feeling of being out of control is an emotional response to being confronted by fears and our insecurities and events we don't understand or can't control during waking hours.

[Gerr]

I occasionally have a scary or bizarre dream. Just a few nights ago I dreamed two men were about to kill me. One of them had his hand raised and was about to strike me with a weapon. I tried to scream "Help," but I couldn't get the word out. Finally I did get the word out and woke my wife who in turn woke me up. A scary dream doesn't frighten me because I know it's just a dream and mean nothing.

[Gerr]

I've had two dreams that recurred a number of times when I was younger. 1) One was finding treasure at the foot of a tree 2) Being chased by someone and my legs moving like I was stuck in molasses so that I couldn't run fast. And just about the time the chaser is about to grab me, I would be able to fly away.

[cricket]

Cricket, you are right. Dreams are the brain's sorting system and very necessary. Although I do disagree on the idea that nightmares are the result of overstimulation during the day or eating within a few hours of bedtime. What that does is disrupt normal sleep cycles which are most beneficial. We are simply more aware of any dreams during periods of lighter or restless sleep, and less likely to recall dreams during deep sleep.

What "causes" a nightmare then, if it is not caused by over stimulation that disrupts normal sleep cycles? Do nightmares happen all through the night, even in normal sleep cycles?

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

my dog has dreams...he "talks" and paddles the air with his feet..

[Gail]

my dog has dreams...he "talks" and paddles the air with his feet..

Nice... Does he wake himself up?

[LifeHiscost]

Thanks for all the responses everyone. My computer was in the shop while I was transferring to a new one my son gave me, and I was surprised to find so many interesting answers to my questions when I got back on line..

I suppose there is no one answer that is right or wrong to different people's responses to the questions asked. I like to think if God can give a donkey words to speak at the appropriate time, He isn't beyond giving guidance when He finds it the best avenue to use to give direction. One thing seems to be sure. Whenever He speaks in a dream, I'm supposing He has our undivided attention, which often is not the case if He speaks to us during wakeful hours.

God blesses!

[Tom Wetmore]

Originally Posted By: Tom Wetmore

Cricket, you are right. Dreams are the brain's sorting system and very necessary. Although I do disagree on the idea that nightmares are the result of overstimulation during the day or eating within a few hours of bedtime. What that does is disrupt normal sleep cycles which are most beneficial. We are simply more aware of any dreams during periods of lighter or restless sleep, and less likely to recall dreams during deep sleep.

What "causes" a nightmare then, if it is not caused by over stimulation that disrupts normal sleep cycles? Do nightmares happen all through the night, even in normal sleep cycles?

I think there are multiple causes of disturbing dreams. And yes, a nightmare can happen even in normal sleep cycles. Some nightmares are more transparent than others as to what the mind is sorting through. And sometimes they just might be random memories thrown together for no particular reason.

[LifeHiscost]

Quote:

But I have had some really good dreams that I enjoyed so much that I would almost wake and try to go back to sleep so I could finish my dream ... sometimes managed to resume the dream. And, there have been times when I would be working on a project and dream about it at night and find a way to solve a problem that I was experiencing.

If there is Someone Who gives them for your attention, it sounds to me like your acquainted enough with Him that you know what He's trying to get across.

God blesses!

[bluebelle]

I don't think I have had nightmares, at least that I can remember.

And, there have been times when I would be working on a project and dream about it at night and find a way to solve a problem that I was experiencing.

I've had those quite frequently. And then there are the ones where I dream that I'm sleeping. It usually ends with me getting up, not sure whether or not I'm awake...