Nightmares nightly, anyone know why?

I know this may sound odd... but then again - with this site and all the stuff we hear - maybe not.

Anyhoo - I use to have really awful, violent, brutally bloody nightmares- the stuff your worst serial killer can’t even imagine.

They started when I was an adolescent - I have no idea why and where my mind even comes up with
some of the more twisted stuff.

I believe these nightmares to be the root cause of my life long insomnia. As a young teen I was scared to death to fall asleep.

Okay - so anyhoo, again.

One morning I was telling The Donor - my first husband - about one of my nightmares and he comes up with “You’re sleeping too hot.”

Huh? According to him being too hot while you sleep is the cause of nightmares.

So being desprate - I gave it a shot. Lower room temp at night, windows cracked when possible, lighter sleeping cloths and switched out all sheets and blankets for a simple light weight down duvet in a cotton duvet cover.

And guess what? It worked. I’m not completely nightmare free these days but I have had a hugely significant decrease in them.

I gotta say - this was one of a very few positive take aways from that dreadful nightmare of a marriage - but a big one.

Given your mom is in a new sleeping environment - check out the heat possibilities. Is the room warmer than at home? What about the bedding and pjs? Is mom in a cast? If so, I bet that gets hot... hey, it’s worth checking out,

Being in a nursing home is often very disorienting and frightening for the elderly, especially. One of the results of the facility stress is brain function. Was she living at home before?

An anti-anxiety med may help, if the first one doesn't help, try another.

Or maybe a UTI? Have her checked.

My FIL’s neurologist (Alz) prescribed a low dose of Seroquel before bed. No more being chased by “the baddies” at night, and he sleeps more soundly. If she didn’t have it before, this could be the beginnings of dementia.

Sorry, seems a lot of posts for the 17th went by the wayside. Does she have Dementia? They are called night terrors nd there is medication for them if frequent. With my Mom I would wake her up and tell her to open her eyes and ten go back to sleep. She never remembered them.

Lasix is a water pill.