Help! More Grounding Increases Nightmares

I've always had a problem containing things after my therapy session. In fact, I regularly experience intrusions from parts on an almost daily basis. Sometimes, it results in long-term rumination, other times, triggered feelings that spiral out of control, or memories that get tripped by something I"ve seen or heard. As a result, I'm often very forgetful and only halfway present. It makes it difficult for me to focus on my work and causes problems at home because my husband says I get into a "zone" and don't respond when he tries to talk to me.

Last week, my therapist asked me to practice grounding myself every 30 minutes, using the 3 sights, sounds, sensations exercise. I've been doing it for 4 days so far. I'm finding it very hard to remember to do it every 30 minutes! Sometimes, a couple of hours go by before I remember to do it (or my husband reminds me to do it).

Here's my concern...My husband says that he can already tell that I am much more aware and present when I regularly ground myself throughout the day. But ever since I've been doing this continual grounding, I've started having horrible nightmares every night! I'm waking up tired even though I slept all night because of how exhausting and frightening the dreams have been.

Do you think that this exercise keeping myself in the present is causing an increase in nightmares? Is all of the traumatic "crap" coming out in my sleep because I'm not allowing myself to think about or process it during the daytime?

I plan to ask my therapist about this when I see her, but I wanted to know if anybody here has experienced this happening or knows what might be going on...and what to do about it!

Peaches

Actually I've had sort-of a similar experience I guess. I typically practice a sort-of on-again / off-again kind of mindfulness. When I happen to think about it, I try to do it. But a lot of the time, I really just don't think about it. Every so often, though, I get "the bug" to try to really bear down, so to speak, & consciously practice staying mindful as much as possible.

What I've found is that, when I try to focus on being mindful, it seems like I almost always end up having some sort of mad hissy fit over something or other. It has happened enough, that I do believe there is a connection. So while I can't say I've had the experience with nightmares you've had, I can say that I do believe there may well be a connection between keeping oneself in the present moment & increased anxiety.

As far as what to do about it... well... I don't know. In my case, I've simply come to the conclusion that keeping myself grounded in the present moment is not something I can force. To the extent that it happens... it happens. To the extent that it doesn't... it doesn't.