Sleep is supposed to be rejuvenating, but it can be difficult to get the rest your body needs when anxiety plagues your nights as well as your days. According to Sara Mednick, a research scientist at the University of California at San Diego, quoted in "Reader's Digest," a good night's sleep is a stress antidote. Unsettling dreams caused by stress could continue to worsen as your sleep quality suffers. The key to getting rid of anxiety dreams is dealing with the source of your daytime stress.
Instructions
1. Analyze what kind of anxiety dreams you're having. According to "Self" magazine, stressful dreams fall into one of five categories. In unpreparedness dreams, you might be rushing to catch a flight, only to realize that you've left your ticket at home, or you might dream that you're taking a test you forgot to study for. Some dreamers experience powerlessness, where they try to flee from a threat or scream, but find that they can't move or make a sound. Others dream about natural disasters or experience loss. In a loss dream, you might lose your teeth or witness the death of a loved one. Some people have interruption or obstacle dreams, where a blockade keeps them from moving forward, or a ridiculous set of circumstances leaves them disoriented and confused. "Self" magazine gives the example of one woman who dreamed she was pregnant, wandering alone in the desert.
2. Assess your waking life to determine the cause of your dream and fix the problem. Many perfectionists dream about being unprepared because they closely associate performance with their self-worth. The solution is to give yourself adequate time to prepare and then force yourself to switch your mind's focus to other thoughts and activities. Realize that there is only so much you can do to control the outcome of a situation and that worrying won't do anything but amp up your stress levels.
3. Make a plan about how you can get yourself on track if you're having interruption or obstacle dreams. You probably feel that something in your life has forced you off the right path. Maybe you didn't get your dream job, or you failed to get into grad school. Mapping out your next steps serves as a reminder that you do have control over your life's direction, and will put your bad dreams to rest.
4. Talk out fears with a friend or family member who's made it through a stressful situation if you're having loss dreams, an indicator that you're worried about loss or big changes in real life (for example, getting laid off from work). Seeing how she's managed to cope can give you the confidence to deal with any outcome, positive or negative.
5. Take a hard look at the big choices in your life if you're having powerlessness dreams, a sign that you're facing a significant, stressful decision. Write down the pros and cons of each of your choices and talk out your concerns with a trusted friend or family member.
6. Make a list to prioritize the next day's tasks before going to bed, especially if you dream about tornadoes, floods or fires. Natural disaster dreams usually mean that you're overwhelmed by a mile-long to-do list. Decide which things you can take care of tomorrow and what will need to wait. Delegate parts of your load to others, if possible.
7. Allow yourself time to enjoy favorite hobbies or past times. According to a study by the University of South Australia and the University of Rotterdam reported in "Reader's Digest" magazine, people who spent more time in leisure dealt better with workplace stress and got better quality sleep.
8. Put your life's stressors in perspective. According to a poll by the American Psychological Association cited in "Reader's Digest," four of the 10 top causes of stress are related to money. If you can be content with less, you can reduce the anxiety associated with climbing the corporate ladder. Be kind to yourself and offload non-critical responsibilities where you can. Limit your on-call time by turning off cell phones and letting email wait when taking some off for yourself.
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