Being in a relationship with someone who has frequent nightmares can be a scary business. Even though you’re not the one who gets shivers while you sleep, you’re dragged into the the world of twilight terrors all the same. If you lie next to someone who has restless nights thanks to monsters, ghosts and the like here are some things that will be all too familiar.
Relationships on Female First
You have been woken: In the dead of night from screams of your terrified lover or because your partner is half asleep and half awake and still believes that they are in the nightmare. This can result in shaking, hitting, biting, you name it- you’ve been through the wars when your lover has experienced a particularly nail biting dreamscape. Often they turn back over and settle- leaving you to stare about the darkness of your bedroom shaken from their outburst.
You will always hear about their nightmares in the morning: Whether they woke you or internalised the fear, you can guarantee that they will regale you with every tiny detail of the dream, whether you want to hear it or not. Some of the dreams are interesting, but mostly, your partner is so terrible at describing them that you tune out and look shocked in the appropriate places.
You’ve thought about writing a book: Some of their dreams are so weird and wonderful you’ve considered writing them down and selling them to pay for sleep therapy but you’re that knackered from disturbed nights that you don’t have the energy to put pen to paper.
Their best dreams always come up at gatherings: Your significant other loves nothing more than to tell people about the vivid images that are conjured up by their mind when the lights go out. And they promptly forget that you have heard them all before. It’s always fun seeing the reaction of the listeners who look at your partner with a mixture of intrigue and fear.
You’ve tried to analyse their dreams: You’ve read the books and looked up dream interpretations online but the explanations are often so messed up that you don’t really want to know what the experts think about how your partner’s brain works. Sometimes it’s better to leave these things well alone.
You sometimes share the gift: Some of their stories have freaked you out so much that you get nightmares on the odd occasion too. There are some things you like to share as a couple- but this certainly isn’t one of them.
It can take your partner a while to process the really bad ones: Sometimes, your lover will be so rattled by a nightmare that they still talk about it long after it’s happened. It’s at this point that you reflect on all the things that might have manifested themselves into what they saw or felt. Often it’s a cumulation of things you’ve watched or witnessed and it’s up to you to reassure them that they aren’t at the centre of a real life horror movie.
Sweet dreams!