Dreams and Nightmares

I occasionally have night terrors.  Actually they probably happen more often than I think they do, but they only wake me up sometimes.

They started when I first moved out and was living in a tiny two-bedroom basement apartment with my best friend.  At that time they were usually just about bugs on the walls.  I would hit the bugs (in my sleep), and wake myself up.  I think they were mostly due to the actual mice we had living in the walls.

We moved to a larger two bedroom coach home.  Then the night terrors changed and really started to amp up.  They usually involved a scary, dark figure being in my room.  I would throw pillow and knock over my bedside lamp before I would wake myself up.

Then I moved in with my boyfriend into our first place in Calgary.  One night I grabbed the pillow out from under his head and threw it across the room.  Freaked him out completely.  Again, usually I was seeing dark, scary figures in my room.  Sometimes dark, other world creatures would crawl up from the floor onto my bed.

Now that I am back in Edmonton, I still have them, but less often (I think).  Once there was a blond little girl twirling around and around at the end of my bed.  Another time an older woman was at the top corner of my room, she kind of looked like Helen Mirren.  It's creepy and weird and why I wake myself up screaming.  Then of course I have trouble falling back asleep.

They usually occur between 10:30 pm and 11:30 pm (depending on when I turn out my light).  They happen more often when I am tired and I fall asleep really fast.  Apparently, if someone would gently wake me up around just after I fall asleep (so before I have a night terror), it would help stop them from happening.

Besides the night terrors I have had a couple of just really odd dreams lately.  A couple of them involved my ex husband.  I think because he is on my mind this time of year.  Two years ago is when we were separated, but still "living together" in the same house.  In January I spent a week in Edmonton, then he spent two weeks crashing at a friend's house.  When he got back we slept in separate bedrooms.  It was right before the Family Day holiday that we decided to officially end it, and I went to Edmonton for the weekend, which is when my aunt offered me my new position in circulation.  My the end of March I was packed up and moved back in Edmonton.

I felt so alone and sad back then.  It was horrible.  Now, life is fairly awesome.  I love my new job (well not so new anymore) and my new-to-me house.  I have less debt, less stress, and more friends than when I was in Calgary.  With the divorce finalized I can close a book on that chapter of my life and look forward.

Also, I hope that in time I will sleep easier in my very comfortable new queen-sized bed.