[AMARTIN1]

I have been a nurse now for nine months now and finally feel like I can "handle" my title. My main problem is having a hard time sleeping, and when I do sleep, i wake up every hour until it's time for work. I have also noticed that when I go back to sleep, I have had wicked dreams involving blood, knives, my own surgery on a broken, bloody leg and so much violence. Has anyone gone through this? And is there anything else besides Benadryl and Ambien for good sleep? Thanks in advance...Amartin1

[MellyOne]

Amitriptyline...just personal experience-helped me with PTSD...probably better for you long term than either Benadryl or Ambien
You've really got to talk to your provider or a psychiatrist about this...I understand some anxiety, but sounds like this is wearing on you...hard to get your head in the "right place" if you're lacking on sleep, which may only make things worse

Once again, no medical advice-only personal experience

[meownsmile]

I have occasional nights like that. I wake up at 2, 3, 430,5 until its time to get up and go to work. I dont have the nighmares you have. That sounds a bit scarey to me. I think if i started having nightmares about my job id have to look for another department to work in.

[AMARTIN1]

I actually think most of the nightmares have come from me learning to be assertive with my patients and their families, also the short staffing issue on our floor. I am so used to being sweet, nice and would bend over backwards for anyone. I have realized in nursing that you truly have to balance being assertive with tact and being nice. It's so hard to change my attitude but I have gotten alot better with time management because of my assertiveness.... if only my heart would follow.

[jgwe4e]

You're not alone. Just read the Nursing Dreams thread.

[bethin]

I have similar nightmares and I'm only a CNA. I had a nightmare once that it was me and a nurse for the whole floor. A patient coded and I was forced to push meds because someone had to do the defribillating. This was at night and the ER doc was involved in a code and no one else was available. I work at a small community hospital where it's not uncommon to have just an ER doc in house.

Thank God I don't have these often. Most of the time my dreams regarding work is missing or being late for work, showing up in my nightgown, waking up thinking I fell asleep at work and a patient was coding, call bells going off, phones ringing. You get the idea. In my experience, I think that Benadryl and Ambien make nightmare more vivid. But that's just me, it can affect someone else differently.

I would definately talk to your doc about this.

[mama_llama]

It sounds like to me you are under more stress than you realize. Whenever I have nightmares, I am usually overly tired and/or stressing over some issue. Have you ever tried Melatonin?? It helps some, not all- but its more like a mirror of what makes you sleepy. AND if all else fails...Oreos and milk help me sleep, or a small piece of chocolate (I know it's weird but a small dose of caffeine actually makes me sleepy). GOOD LUCK!

[multicollinearity]

Originally Posted by AMARTIN1

I have been a nurse now for nine months now and finally feel like I can "handle" my title. My main problem is having a hard time sleeping, and when I do sleep, i wake up every hour until it's time for work. I have also noticed that when I go back to sleep, I have had wicked dreams involving blood, knives, my own surgery on a broken, bloody leg and so much violence. Has anyone gone through this? And is there anything else besides Benadryl and Ambien for good sleep? Thanks in advance...Amartin1

Do you think the violent dreams could be reflective of your new life as a nurse? You know, seeing so much blood and things done to bodies taht the general public doesn't see? It is an adjustment.

My own personal experience is that as soon as I figure out why I am having a certain kind of dream-the dream stops occuring.

[SmilingBluEyes]

If you are asking for medical solutions for your sleep issues, you need to take these to your doctor or nurse practioner. We cannot recommend medical solutions for your problem. If you are asking for other ideas, like darkening a room, turning off your phone ringers, stress reduction ideas, etc---- we can do that here.

All members: please remember our terms of service ----it does discuss this issue.

We may not give, nor ask, for medical advice on allnurses.com. Medicines whether OTC or Rx, cannot be prescribed here for anyone's use.

Members answering this post----Please keep suggestions to non-medical solutions on the thread. Thanks!

To the OP: Good luck w/your sleep and nightmare situation. Sometimes, a good exercise program or a talk w/a therapist can help---esp if these continue to plague you.

[JBudd]

I find that if I drink too much caffeine in the last four hours of my shift (I work 12 hour nights) I tend to wake up after only 4-5 hours of sleep, and don't sleep well afterwards, and its during the not so deep sleep that I dream the most.

My dreams usually involve finding out I was assigned patients that I didn't know about until the end of the shift. Once I dreamed I was really sick, and couldn't have a room for me until the end of my shift, and discharged somebody, but they put someone else in MY room before I could get there.

I wouldn't depend on meds too much for sleeping, too easy to get in a cycle of need. Have you tried any of the sleepytime teas? Exercise helps, to get rid of energy so you are pleasantly tired enought to sleep. I sit in a hot tub for a while if I haven't gotten good sleep, kind of relaxes muscles and clears me out so my body feels rested even if my mind doesn't.