Warding Off Nightmares a Psalm Away

Dear Dee:
Someone I know has really bad nightmares. It's to the point where they will wake up at night, crying or so shaken about the nightmare they can't go back to bed.

It's not just once in a while, it's every night and these nightmares are horrible. They are not your normal nightmare, my friend has told me about some of them, and horrible things happen in them.

Is there anything that can be done to make this stop? Or help it go away? Thanks!

I am not a trained therapist or a psychiatrist who can 'read' into emotional reasons behind nightmares. But from my own experience, I can share what I did during a time in my life when nightmares seriously plagued my sleep.

I had some pretty weird stuff going on in my life and it was troubling me and I was really hurting emotionally. I had nightmares every single night about bad things happening to my family and to others I cared a lot about. They were violent and scary.

Now, maybe I should've sought professional help. But I was young and didn't. (Maybe your friend should ...) So I did something that literally just came to me in the middle of the night after a nightmare. And eventually, they went away. I quoted to myself, Psalms 23.

"The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.

Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death, [a]
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever."

I promise you I had the most restful sleep after doing this. I'd repeat it to myself until I fell asleep and most of the time I didn't even make it to the end.

Now again, your friend may need some professional help. I don't know her whole situation. But I do know there is comfort in this scripture and there is protection. And that protection even includes the fear that comes from dreams and nightmares.

I wish you and your friend the best and most of all, sweet dreams.