Question: Do you other PTSD survivors find yourselves waking up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat?

I am in the early stages of therapy for PTSD that started over 20 years ago.

I find that for a couple of months now, I have frequently awakened at around 2am in a cold sweat. I go to sleep around 11pm, so I figure I am well into or past a second sleep cycle by then, and have had some dreams.

My hypothesis: My Trazadone makes me sleep too deeply to remember my dreams, and they are pretty bad nightmares, hence the major perspiration.

If I sleep late in the morning, like on weekends, I enter shallow sleep and remember vivid, disturbing nightmares, supporting my hypothesis, I think.

So do you have similar experiences, or it this just me?

Shoshin,

I can't comment on the meds side of things. However, being awoken by bad dreams, panic and holding the breath all seems to be a major part of PTSD (I am sure you know this ).

I am pretty sure that meds do effect the REM stage of sleep. It also depends on how long on the meds, how sleep deprived you have/had been?

If you google - 'Journal of Psychiatric Research: Effects of Rem sleep awakenings'. You may find some clarity over your question there?

I will check on my online Uni resources as there are lots of up to date journals that will have covered this aspect in a medical context.

IMHO dreaming, nightmares, etc etc are a part of this process to healing. Your body may be reacting to what you were dreaming (a physical response). It could well be that by 2am you are in the REM stage, which is when dreaming occurs. However, it is also the lightest part of sleep and is a stage at which a person is more likely to awaken. So as I said it could be that you are responding to whatever the brain is outputting even though you are not totally aware.

The essence of my point is that the body will find a way to out this stuff - supressing it will fade as time goes on and your body compensates to the effects of your meds.

Hope that helps my lovely friend Shoshin.

Spirit x

Apologies me again!

There could be a link with what you have described and when you started therapy? You are in therapy therefore you will be open to more memories and the experiences that are associated with where you are in this healing process. Perhaps your dream state has been heightened by this? Hence, awakening.

I have experienced this since therapy began!

Just a thought!

Spirit x

I have this all the time, and nausea tends to accompany the cold sweats. I have to say, though, I just started Trazadone, and for me it really seems to help with this. I do think I dream, but I can't remember the dreams once I wake up.

I wake up in cold sweats, I don't take trazadone and unfortunately I remember EVERYTHING I dream

Someitmes...assuming I can even get to sleep....

I have had the night sweats for years. Dreams/no dreams makes no difference. Remembering or not makes no difference. I'm not sure where they come from but I have them too

Change the Sheets often! Wife hates it big time!

Definately have this too! I thought it may be early menopause but I am only 36.

I wake up in a cold sweat at least 3 times a week. I am on Seroquel, so I often don't remember my dreams either, but wake up startled and sweating