What comes first, a stressed life causing bad dreams or bad dreams causing more stress?

[trachet]

Over the last few weeks I have had some vivid, stressful dreams. Last night it involved throwing out lots of old clothes (which I have actually done) and at the same time packing to go on holiday (I wish!). Because I was throwing out clothes I couldn't organise my suitcase hence stress was building. It ended with me packing the wrong type of clothes, and not being able to remember what I packed. I then did not have time to get to the train station and I missed the flight. Hence, in my dream, a lot of crying and running about being stressed. Since I've woken up all I want to do is cry. I know it is stupid, its a dream but it has really affected me.

In real life my world is unravelling and I am trying to keep things going. I found out in the summer that my house's roof is collapsing. I have 3 major leaks in my house and my kitchen floor has also collapsed. The good news is that the £30 000 needed to get it fixed the council are going to give me a grant to fix. The thought of all the work needed is stressing me out.

I was going to do so much today, clean, tidy post parcels but I've not done anything apart from play games and go through emails on my computer.

Just wish I could keep the feeling that a previous dream gave me. I was driving around in a brand new Mercedes convertible and showing it off to my friends. Oh well we can all dream...

[ThemysciraDrive]

There are various theories that dreams are our subconscious expressing itself. I wonder if the dream is a reflection of the fact that you have so much going on? Packing the wrong clothes might be worrying about getting everything fixed properly. And missing the flight could be the worry of how all the things that are going on, making it impossible to organise things, will ultimately take its toll on you?

That's just a suggestion, I'm no psychologist!

I think it is a bit of a chicken and egg scenario...each part of your mind, conscious and subconscious, gets freaked out by the fact that the other is stressed, thereby exacerbating the problem. Try working out things that help you feel relaxed during teh day; if you ease some pressure on one side of your mind hopefully it should have a corresponding effect on the other

[trachet in reply to ThemysciraDrive]

Thanks for your reply. I realised that my life feeling like its spiralling out of control is responsible for the anxiety in the dream. I just wish that something as stupid as a dream can have such an effect on my mood. Next dream that I remember I would like to put in a request that Johnny Depp or someone else just as nice pays me a lovely visit! :-))

[Gambit62]

Are you on any medication? Some Antidepressants have vivid dreams as a side-effect so it may be worth mentioning it to your GP if you are taking medication.

Really hope you manage to find a calmer place soon.

Can understand how daunting it all is and why it is so difficult to get motivated on sorting things out - like you don't know where to start because there is so much. Sometimes when you really have such a knotty ball of wool in front of you, it doesn't really matter where you start - you just have to start somewhere - the bit that is closest is usually the best bet ... what ever that is.

Sorry, that bit probably doesn't make any sense

[trachet in reply to Gambit62]

You'll be surprised how much the tangled ball of wool makes sense! The only problem I have about sorting more of the house out is work! Oh well it looks like the weather is not going to be good this weekend so I'll have no excuse!

[Gambit62 in reply to trachet]

Hope it goes well. My first day back at work after a week off ... did intend to do some housework whilst I was off but didn't get round to it so understand.