Are wedding nightmares becoming a regular thing in your life? Horrible dreams about your wedding haunting your sleep? If so, you’re in the right place to learn how to minimize or even stop them!
Everyone knows that wedding planning can be consuming and stressful. Combine the two of those things and it’s no wonder when our subconscious works through worries while we sleep. And while it is reassuring when we wake up from a nightmare, they are still bothersome. Sometimes a bad nightmare can do more than just affect our quality of sleep, too. Sometimes a bad nightmare can come back to us during the day, and affect our mood and stress levels. In short, wedding nightmares are no fun at all!
The good thing is that there are steps that you can take to minimize or stop wedding nightmares. This is positive because no one likes to have nightmares. At the end of the day, we all just want to get a good night’s sleep, waking up feeling refreshed and empowered. Tackling nightmares, in the right way, is crucial in the fight to stop them.
Wedding Nightmares: Are Your Concerns Entering Your Dreams?
This post is going to go over wedding nightmares. What they are. Why they are so common. What the most “popular” ones are. And, of course, what to do about them. Just as a reminder, I am not a licensed sleep expert. I’m just a person who used to experience wedding nightmares and knows how it feels. And, with a little research and common sense, I’m confident that this post can help you contain your nightmares so you can have a better wedding planning experience, and sleep.
Let’s get into it!
WHAT ARE NIGHTMARES?
Before we delve too deep, let’s talk a little about nightmares.
At face value, nightmares are bad dreams. Dreams that bring on uncomfortable emotions such as worry and fear. Nightmares occur during our deepest sleep, and this is part of the reason why they feel so real. The further into deep sleep we are, the more our brain will accept as truth.
A lot is unknown about dreams in general, but it’s widely believed that nightmares and dreams have to do with emotional processing. Both can be recurring, and both can wake us up, especially if they feel “real”.
Almost everyone will experience a nightmare from time to time. Children ages three to six are notorious for experiencing nightmares, and nightmares are very common in adults. They are more often reported from women, though men get them, too. It’s believed that nightmares can be brought on by stress, mental health, drugs, lack of sleep, or genetics, among other contributing factors.
Nightmares can be indicative of a nightmare disorder, if they impact your day to day functioning. If you feel like a recurring or common nightmare is really bad, seek professional help. Professionals can help you overcome the emotions and actions bringing on the nightmare with very methodical and personalized plans.
WHY ARE WEDDING NIGHTMARES SO COMMON?
As mentioned above, wedding nightmares are really common.
But why?
Well, we put a lot of pressure on ourselves when we plan a wedding. It can consume much of our time, and a lot of our thoughts. Dreams, and nightmares, can be the body’s way of looking out for what can go wrong and sort of warn you in a way. Stress can also make our dreams more vivid, or scarier. Plus, whatever is on your mind will likely follow you into your sleep.
All of this is to say that when you’re thinking about your wedding, and if you have some stress about it, dreams are likely to happen in general.
MOST “POPULAR” WEDDING NIGHTMARES
Using the word “popular” in it’s most literal sense, let’s talk about some of the more common wedding nightmares out there.
These are the ones that are most reported, that people tend to experience before they get married. Now, of course, you may be experiencing a nightmare that is not on this list or is more specific to your situation. Remember, in any sense, this is your brain’s way of processing emotions and thoughts. It’s normal, even if your specific nightmare isn’t on this list.
- Showing up in the wrong clothes (or nothing at all)
- Being late to your own wedding, or forgetting to show up
- Too many people arriving, or no one arriving
- Not being able to find your own wedding
- Everything you planned not going to plan
- Terrible weather on your wedding day
- Vendors not arriving
- Falling at your wedding
- Forgetting to bring something important
- Forgetting to arrange something important
Looking at this list, it’s clear to see that most of these wedding nightmares are about things going wrong. Remember, when it comes to your actual wedding day, you have control over most of these things. And, with the right planning, they will not go wrong. Or, if they do, you will be prepared for it.
THE GOOD THING ABOUT WEDDING NIGHTMARES
Though nightmares aren’t fun, they do serve a purpose. There are some good things about them.
For example, nightmares are just dreams. They are not reality. Plus, they can help you recognize what is giving you stress so you can take action, if possible. Nightmares can be a warning sign that you need to relax, slow down, or focus on something else for a while.
Wedding nightmares can be a signal that you need some stronger boundaries with wedding planning. Specifically, you may want to avoid doing wedding research or planning right before bed. Or, you may want to limit your discussions about the wedding to just the day time. If you have nightmares about your wedding, remember, you can take action to prevent them.
HOW TO PREVENT WEDDING NIGHTMARES
Alright, let’s get into the methods to prevent wedding nightmares.
The first thing you can do is relax before bedtime. Be diligent about your sleep hygiene. This means limiting your screen time before bed, avoiding alcohol or caffeine close to bedtime, and having a comfortable, dark, quiet space to sleep in. Be consistent with your sleep routine, so your body is properly signaled on when to rest. Rest is crucial in order to manage stress, and stress can cause nightmares. Making sleep and rest a priority will help.
Second, if you think you may have a serious issue, it’s time to get some professional help. You can try sleep therapy, where you let a nightmare play out in your mind. Or, have a sleep study conducted. Additional methods that professionals can help you with include hypnosis, muscle relaxation exploration, or cognitive behavioral therapy. Professionals can help you determine if your nightmares are brought on by mental health or medications, too. Don’t be afraid to get help if your wedding nightmares are impacting your sleep, stress levels, or overall enjoyment with wedding planning.
THOUGHTS ON WEDDING NIGHTMARES
Friends, wedding nightmares are not fun. They are, however, usually a normal brain response to this chapter of life. If they are really bothersome, look into your sleep hygiene, re-do how you think about and work on your wedding, or get some professional help. Remember, wedding nightmares are very common and most adults will experience nightmares from time to time in general. You’ve got this! Happy wedding planning!
More On Wedding Wellbeing From Hummingbird Wedding Advice
Kickstarting Your Wedding Wellness Plan
How To Avoid Feeling Bloated On Your Wedding Day
16 Tips To Deal With Being The Center Of Attention On Your Wedding Day
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