[Ambedo.]

Nightmares are awful and they are even more difficult when they cause you to wake up disoriented or feeling out of touch with reality. I've suffered from nightmares and night terrors for a good chunk of my life and, while they can't be stopped entirely, there are some things that can help you recover from the immediate aftermath.

One thing that I've found to be helpful is to utilize grounding techniques. This is especially helpful when I wake up and can't quite tell if I'm still dreaming or if what happened in the dream was real. Sometimes, that looks like traditional grounding methods (things you can see, touch, hear, etc.). Other times, that looks like doing something or engaging with something that makes it clear that I am in the "real world". For instance, I might check my phone to get the date and exact time, which doesn't often appear in dreams for me. Or, I will look at photos or videos that I have distinct memories of to help me get back to a sense of reality. If grounding fails, getting up and walking around has also been helpful for me, primarily because it gives me a sense of control since I can decide where to go, what to touch, etc., which is an agency I often lack in more intense nightmares.

When I have a nightmare that makes me afraid to go back to sleep, I typically don't push it. Instead, I'll do a calming activity to help my nervous system. Sometimes, I'll get up and color or read a book until I start to feel tired again. If I feel too activated for a focused activity, I'll put on a comforting TV show, such as a cartoon or a feel-good sitcom. While it can be tempting to look at TikTok or other social media to clear your mind, I would recommend avoiding that, as you never quite know what will come up on your feed. It's best to avoid anything that may be overstimulating or could potentially re-trigger any thoughts associated with the nightmare. If looking at social media truly feels like the only thing that might be helpful, you may want to focus on looking at videos or posts from a specific creator or set of creators that you find comforting, rather than blindly scrolling through your FYP or feed.

I hope this helps!