Ry,

I very much experience this, years of it off and on.

What works for me:

lots and lots of good therapy
reading everything I can find on PTSD
keeping a journal
learning how to talk myself down, even when awake yet still in the dream

...and my favorite of all is to work -with- the dream. I bring my current self into the dream and design how I want it to go. I've practiced this for awhile so it's almost automatic now. I redesign the dream.

I also do this during day, in my mind and in journal. I imagine the story differently, with me ultimately in control. I take all this as like a heroic challenge, a quest, I'm given a task of some sort over and over again, til I understand and move on.

An example: say in a nightmare X is chasing me, attacking. I wrest myself around in the dream, face it, with useful weapons, I talk to it, I write the script differently with me winning.

Also, reading up on sleep disorders could be helpful. I've been told that Buspar helps with nightmares, didn't really do anything for me.

Good plan to have comforting things in your bedroom too. Make it a haven.

I know from experience that being awake in a dream nightmare really sucks. Our entire being is adrenalized and ready to fight or fly, it's ultimately exhausting and damages our much needed sleep.

Sarah