Nightmares/Lack of Sleep

[Cinnamon4]

I tried for years to pray it away and trying to "cast demons out" by my own authority, like all of the "prophets" taught. (John Eckhardt, being one who really goes against scripture. I was new. I didn't know.) That whole movement really messed with me in the beginning. Got me into so much trouble.

A couple of years ago, I had a dream about being in a house again and people trying to break in (That's the short version), then for some reason I left the house into the yard and then I saw in front of me this huge, huge tall demonic dark shadow. Then for some reason I turned around and I heard something basically shielding me, I think it was like a bubble - if I remember right, and said to me, "Submit to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you." So the thing vanishes.

After that, I studied that scripture and learned from Jesus in the desert along with 2 Corinthians 10:5 :"We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."

Now when I fall under attack, I submit to God. I recite scripture or I worship, and it goes.

Do you have health insurance?

 

[UnrulyBeauty]

Childhood or past traumas are very common indicators for chronic nightmares and other sleep troubles. I would definitely recommend considering some counseling, whether at church or elsewhere, to start to work through those issues. I also have a very vivid "dream life" at night, and most of it is not pleasant, so I can empathize with what you're going through. But it can get better! Try to guard your mind through the day. Try to avoid any input that is stressful, sad, upsetting, depressing. I have to be watchful for myself, because I love psychology and criminology, and I can spend hours studying true crime stories, but if I'm not careful, the things I see and learn can keep me up at night. I try to avoid horror movies or games or TV shows, or things about people being hurt or terrorized or abused. All of those things can trigger past traumas in my brain. I try to make sure that the hour or two before bed are nothing but relaxing or pleasant material for my brain. And if I'm feeling really tense or uneasy, I'll turn on some quiet videos of comforting Scriptures with soft music, until I'm relaxed enough to sleep.

 

[farouk]

And if I'm feeling really tense or uneasy, I'll turn on some quiet videos of comforting Scriptures with soft music, until I'm relaxed enough to sleep.

@UnrulyBeauty What an excellent idea!

I am reminded of Paul in Ephesians 5.26 where he speaks of 'the washing of water by the Word': i.e., referring to the cleansing effect of the Word of God.

 

[TLHKAJ]

Childhood or past traumas are very common indicators for chronic nightmares and other sleep troubles. I would definitely recommend considering some counseling, whether at church or elsewhere, to start to work through those issues. I also have a very vivid "dream life" at night, and most of it is not pleasant, so I can empathize with what you're going through. But it can get better! Try to guard your mind through the day. Try to avoid any input that is stressful, sad, upsetting, depressing. I have to be watchful for myself, because I love psychology and criminology, and I can spend hours studying true crime stories, but if I'm not careful, the things I see and learn can keep me up at night. I try to avoid horror movies or games or TV shows, or things about people being hurt or terrorized or abused. All of those things can trigger past traumas in my brain. I try to make sure that the hour or two before bed are nothing but relaxing or pleasant material for my brain. And if I'm feeling really tense or uneasy, I'll turn on some quiet videos of comforting Scriptures with soft music, until I'm relaxed enough to sleep.

Sounds a lot like what I do....listening to worship music or scripture videos to fall asleep to.

Dreams have often been related to past traumas as well. But I don't watch crime shows or any of the like because it triggers ....on the other hand, I can sit and talk with other trauma survivors for hours, offer support, etc ...without being triggered. Go figure.

 

[farouk]

Sounds a lot like what I do....listening to worship music or scripture videos to fall asleep to.

@TLHKAJ A wholesome idea, indeed.

 

[TLHKAJ]

@TLHKAJ A wholesome idea, indeed.

I have playlists on YouTube and play them with an browser that blocks the ads. (AdBlocker Browser) My son Matt showed me that trick. lol That way I can listen without yucky ads.

 

[UnrulyBeauty]

Just search something like "Scriptures for sleep" on Youtube, and you'll find lots of options

 

[farouk]

Just search something like "Scriptures for sleep" on Youtube, and you'll find lots of options

@UnrulyBeauty Sounds a good idea...

 

[farouk]

I wouldn't go to a gym in a million years.

@FluffyYellowDuck I go past a gym when I go walking sometimes and all the ppl working out seem to be facing the same way, absorbed in what they are doing....kind of anonymous in the crowd...

 

[Pearl]

I tried a gym after I retired and was given a programme to follow. All I could think was that they had no time for oldies so gave them workouts that nearly killed them so they wouldn't come again - and we didn't.

 

[farouk]

I tried a gym after I retired and was given a programme to follow. All I could think was that they had no time for oldies so gave them workouts that nearly killed them so they wouldn't come again - and we didn't.

@Pearl A good fitness trainer will 'work up' a person as well as 'work out'. There are definite stages of progress in fitness...

 

[Pearl]

@Pearl A good fitness trainer will 'work up' a person as well as 'work out'. There are definite stages of progress in fitness...

Yeah well they started us at the top and it made us both ill.

 

[farouk]

Yeah well they started us at the top and it made us both ill.

@Pearl Well, they shouldn't have thrown you in at the deep end, so to speak...

 

[Pearl]

@Pearl Well, they shouldn't have thrown you in at the deep end, so to speak...

NO, I agree. We had been ok doing our own thing but then were told we had to have a programme and it was the uphill exercise bikes that did for us. It made us both feel very sick. Surely they should have treated 65 year old gym virgins with more care. After that we just relied on walking but Ray now has a mobility scooter.

 

[farouk]

NO, I agree. We had been ok doing our own thing but then were told we had to have a programme and it was the uphill exercise bikes that did for us. It made us both feel very sick. Surely they should have treated 65 year old gym virgins with more care. After that we just relied on walking but Ray now has a mobility scooter.

@Pearl I remember you like Strictly Come Dancing and some of those pieces are very vigorous, but it all takes training and time to be able to achieve what the finalists do. Some of the perennial finalists are very well trained and adept and dexterous.

 

[Pearl]

@Pearl I remember you like Strictly Come Dancing and some of those pieces are very vigorous, but it all takes training and time to be able to achieve what the finalists do. Some of the perennial finalists are very well trained and adept and dexterous.

In my youth I used to love to dance but then I married my dear husband who has two left feet and cant dance for toffee and apart from a brief spell in the 90s, haven't danced since.

 

[farouk]

In my youth I used to love to dance but then I married my dear husband who has two left feet and cant dance for toffee and apart from a brief spell in the 90s, haven't danced since.

@Pearl Wondering, have you exclusively preferred ballroom dancing or disco dancing, too?

(Sometimes the distinction is blurred, anyway, of course.)

 

[Pearl]

@Pearl Wondering, have you exclusively preferred ballroom dancing or disco dancing, too?

(Sometimes the distinction is blurred, anyway, of course.)

i liked to jive.

 

[farouk]

i liked to jive.

@Pearl Struck me that Oti (...I forget her surname...) is very much a ballroom practitioner but some of her steps are sometimes of disco rather than ballroom in character (if this makes sense?)

 

[Pearl]

@Pearl Struck me that Oti (...I forget her surname...) is very much a ballroom practitioner but some of her steps are sometimes of disco rather than ballroom in character (if this makes sense?)

All of these professional dancers are expert at ballroom and Latin as well as free form dancing.