DollyKim wrote:Fighting back in your nightmares is a great way to battle them. Try derailing any uncomfortable dreams with another train of thought, it's your brain and you control it.
^^^^ This. Not only can't help you stop having bad dreams, it can also lead to some pretty awesome ones after a while.
As I was approaching adolescence my mum warned me I would probably start having nightmares - things like where I was in a house with a monster or unseen attacker and couldn't turn lights on; or where I couldn't run away. The only advice she gave me was to remember the morning after that they were just dreams and nothing to do with reality. The first time it happened my brain basically said "sod this for a game of soldiers" So when I got stuck in a house and none of the lights worked I pulled out my torch. When I couldn't run away, I flew. And so on. It was something I was aware of doing to start with, but over the years since then has become an unconscious thing. As a result I've had maybe two nightmares in my life, and less than a handful of really bad dreams. I do have a lot of weird/surreal ones, and a lot of action/adventure ones though.
Remember, the reverse of stressed is desserts.
Growing older is mandatory. Growing up is optional.