We love to dream, but unfortunately nightmares are also part of it. You can do this to calm your brain after you have had a bad dream.
Tips for recovering from a nightmare
When you have had a bad dream, it will haunt your mind for a while. Fortunately, there are plenty of things you can do to help you sleep peacefully again.
1. Breathing exercises
When you just wake up from a stressful dream, your heart is still racing. Your heart rate is very fast, you start sweating and you mentally no longer know where to look. A good way to calm down is to do breathing exercises. You can do this by watching a YouTube video or listening to a Spotify exercise. By breathing in for a few seconds and then breathing out slowly, you slow down your heart rate and your mind becomes a lot calmer.
2. Music
Music has a healing effect, including when you have had a bad dream. It helps to play your favorite song, whether that’s because you want to continue sleeping or because you actually have to get up. And singing along or dancing along also works wonders.
3. Different twist
Your brain can be very disturbed after such a nightmare, but remember that you are still in control when you are awake. If you remember your dream clearly, it may help to replay it and give it a happy ending. There’s a good chance that you woke up before things really went wrong in the dream, so be creative and think of a nicer ending.
4. No social media
When you wake up out of fright and immediately start scrolling on your phone, you don’t give your mind a moment of rest to process everything. It is therefore very important to take a moment for yourself after a nightmare. For example, it is better to listen to a podcast, take a (short) walk or read a book.
5. Talk
Sometimes it helps to talk to others about your bad dreams. It’s quite a bit of stress, and by keeping it to yourself you can easily get stuck with it. When you discuss your nightly adventure with someone, you bring out what is in your subconscious. This makes it easier for your brain to process it and you are less likely to suffer from the same nightmare.
