Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Dreams that exhaust

Last night or early this morning I had a dream, a dream so bizarre it's not worth talking about except to say that I woke up exhausted.  This is not the only time I've been exhausted by dreams and somehow I just don't understand why.  I wake up feeling like I've been hit by a truck and it takes me forever to get going.

Tuesday morning is yoga morning and as I missed my class last week I really didn't want to miss another one.  So I dragged myself there as I know it's a time I can be quiet and still in my mind.  To just BE.  Well this is what we strive for in yoga, to be in the moment, to be in tune with your body etc.  I'm sure I'm not the only one who struggles with thinking about everyday thoughts, things to be done at home instead of being in the moment.  "Chattering monkeys" is what my yoga teacher calls them.  However this morning I had "chattering monkeys" and a body that just didn't want to move to deal with.

I always believed sleep should  be a time of rest and rejuvenation, a relaxing of the body and mind but now I'm not so sure.  I'd like to know what causes this exhaustion after dreams as it sets me up for a very lethargic day.  Does anyone else have this happen?  I'd love to know.

Anne

16 comments:

  1. Oh yeah - big time!
    As a matter of fact, I had one last night too!
    I have these incredibly detailed dreams with intricate plots - it's like being in the middle of a movie.
    The ones I find the most exhausting are the ones where I'm heavily involved emotionally - you know, lots of distress. Actually it's interesting because I very rarely cry in real life, yet in a dream I can sob my heart out.
    The feelings are so real - it's like it has actually happened to me.

    I'm not sure why it happens.
    I can have them anytime.
    I just mentally shake them off in the morning and put them behind me - and try not to remember them too much.

    Maybe your body is trying to give you a message.
    Maybe it's making you tired for a reason.
    It might be trying to make you rest or pull back a little.

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  2. I am very familiar with those chattering monkeys which is what my yoga teacher calls them too! Are you on any medication? I found that whilst taking antidepressants many years ago I used to have dreams in which I was desperately angry and smashing things and going generally mad - I put it down to being unable to feel all these emotions during my waking hours due to being drugged as I don't dream like that any more. Wishing you some peaceful nights with refreshing sleep soon.

    Jane

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  3. Jane,
    I am on medication, but I've been on it so long that most of the side effects have long since past. The only thing I really get these days is a dry mouth so I take water with me wherever I go.

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  4. Letitia,
    So I'm not the only one to suffer exhausting dreams. In my dream last night I gave birth to a boy who could talk immediately, grew into an adult in one day and turned into a leopard. WEIRD. I think a psychologist would have a field day with that one.
    I think if I slowed down anymore I wouldn't be moving. :) I do so little as it is. I did some gardening today, so hopefully my body is sufficiently physically tired I don't dream tonight. Fingers crossed.

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  5. I have had a few dreams where I am screaming as hard as I can (which I simply never did in real life) at my ex husband and then woken exhausted and with a sore throat as if I had really been screaming. I believe vivid dreams may have to do with a mineral lack but am sorry I don't know what. Of course it is no real surprise for us is that we lack something! Hope you don't get these too often. i just treid a spot of research on google about this and saw a couple of people have dreams where they are doing something and then, while they are still dreaming, they begin to feel extremely tired and need to curl up and sleep straight away. One person wakes exhausted from this type of dream and another doesn't. Rather confusing. Cherrie

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  6. Oh boy, that post hit a nerve! I hate it when I've had dreams and, talking to Mr B at a later date even days later, about something, and can't be sure if it was real or a dream. That's a bit freaky!!
    I thought it could be the meds, but like you, have been on so many for such a long time....
    'tis a mysterious thing, our brain, and complicated.
    Guess I should sign off by wishing you 'Sweet Dreams.'!!!!
    Z xx

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  7. Hello Anne..wouldn't it be wonderful if sleep was refreshing & rejuvenating. I a going through another period of really poor sleep & feeling ghastly most mornings plus aching spine, joints (random) through the day & deep fatigue due to hormonal stuff. I had acne on by bottom, now on my face..ooh! Adolescence in reverse apparently!
    Pearl @ Magnolia Pearl talked about this a bit recently: http://magnoliapearlblog.blogspot.com/2011/02/metamorphosis-to-talk-to-about-or-not.html Hope that might be helpful. Much love Catherine x

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  8. It's always the ones where I am aware that I am dreaming but hanging on to the dream to see what happens next (or sometimes to try and fix things) that floor me the most. I am absolutely knackered today. Will be peeved beyond measure if I am aware of that dreaming malarkey tonight!

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  9. My dreams are very "busy" and I sometimes wake up feeling worse than I went to bed. I don't wind down properly though so I think its my fault.

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  10. Hi Anne
    I can tend to have crazy dreams.. i like to call them mini series.. haha.. anyone says that we don't dream in colour is wrong.. mine are bizarre and filled with colour.. although.. knock on wood I haven't had any too crazy ones lately... I know when I do I feel exhausted the next day also.. I think they are really a manifestation of our worries in our external life.. trying to find solutions to things that are worrying us.. so we replay all these strange scenarios.. understandably we are exhausted the next day.. I guess the thing is.. is to try and look at the issues in our waking hours.. but being able to 'let go' of them is another matter... I think we are all in the same boat.. some lucky people have the knack for switching off..

    Thanks for the kind comments my way.. hope you get a lovely 'restful' sleep tonight .. ciao xxxx Julie

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  11. Hi Anne
    Me again.. glad you liked the May Gibbs.. I think many of us must have fond memories of her characters.. Have a great week.. ciao xxx Julie

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  12. This also happens to me, usually when im anxious or stressed about something. I often do a little relaxing yoga, self-massage and aromatherapy before bed and this helps, I hope you get better sleep soon :)

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  13. Oh Anne I totally empathise with you. I wake up exhausted a lot or simply can not sleep. I'm having anxiety dreams about my daughter leaving home at the moment.
    I have posted about depression before. I've been very low this weekend so glad I made you laugh today as I'm coming out of it. ( You are an Anne with an " E " !!! My middle name is Ann without an " E " !)

    My depression set in after my son was ill with breathing troubles as little boy & we were both deprived of sleep. He's fifteen now & sleeps like any teenager !

    I do T'ai Chi which is so healing so I undersand you going to Yoga. I also have lovely walks with my dog as we are lucky to live in a stunningly beautiful area.

    Take care xx I'm going to add you to my favourites !

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  14. There isn't a new post. I just wanted to greet Happy Easter!...Daniel

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  15. Hi Anne- I often wake up tired, and often dream that I'm running- running to catch up, running to escape a tidal wave, running to save my mother, my son.

    I'm so used to feeling tired that I usually don't question it, but one day I decided to tell my GP. He arranged a sleep study, and apparently I have sleep aponea and lots of leg movement. And what does that mean, I thought to myself? It means I've been running in my sleep! ;)

    Not sure if it's a useful story, or even, frankly, a useful diagnosis. But it's nice to share it with people who will relate to the mixed blessing of sleep!

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