If you enjoy watching scary movies, especially at Halloween, you may want to think twice if you suffer from sleep apnea. While you may get excited with each jump scare, the toll these films can take on your mental and physical well-being may be more problematic than you think. Before you join your family or friends for a haunted movie marathon, learn how to keep from hindering your quality of sleep.
How Can Nightmares Affect Your Sleep?
Whether it’s the boogeyman, vampires, or deranged killers who show up in your favorite scary movies, the images you can’t get out of your head can transfer from the screen to your dreams.
Nightmares, with or without these films, can occur when you least expect them. However, when you watch something that gets your heart racing and is meant to scare you, the chances you’ll experience a bad dream increase.
Researchers claim that the effects of a nightmare can remain with you after waking up. They induce anxiety, making it difficult to fall asleep, and when you do, they cause restlessness that inhibits your ability to get a good night’s rest.
How to Avoid Nightmares Brought On By Scary Movies
If you want to make sure you still get ample rest without missing the scary movie marathon, here are a few tips to consider:
- Talk about the movie afterward: By talking about the film with another person or a group of people, you can discuss how it made you feel. Sharing your emotions allows you to release some of the anxiety you may be experiencing, so you are less likely to take it to bed.
- Find ways to reduce anxiety: After watching a scary movie, try relaxation techniques to lower any anxiety. You can meditate, enjoy a cup of warm tea, stretch, or even read a book of a different genre to take your mind off what you previously watched.
- Refocus on something less scary: If you want to stop thinking about the images or scenes that bothered you most in a scary movie, try refocusing on something more light-hearted. This can be turning on a funny film or TV show, listening to music, or playing a game with friends.
- Make your nighttime movie marathon a daytime event: Instead of waiting until dark to watch these frightening films, choose to host your marathon during the day.
Don’t let nightmares keep you up at all hours. Instead, look for ways to enjoy the fun and festivities that come with Halloween while still getting the sleep your brain and body need.
About the Practice
At Star Sleep & Wellness in Frisco, we see patients who struggle to get essential rest each night. Whether it’s because of sleep apnea, snoring, or watching scary movies that lead to nightmares, our team of experts knows how to handle these situations with ease. If you are preparing for an evening of fun-filled frights this Halloween, contact us to find out what you can do to keep bad dreams from keeping you up at night.