So, last week was super, SUPER stressful and overwhelming. It was finals week for grad school, and I was behind on some assignments because I got food poisoning a week earlier. (Another story, for another day!) My anxiety was at an all time high. We were also close to closing on our first home too so I was anxious about the move and closing on time. Grief also hit hard last week because we found out that the military cemetery printed the wrong birthday on my daddy's headstone. I was having anxiety about how to fix that, and if they would be willing and able to fix it. I was staying up until 1am working assignments, then when I would lay down my mind wouldn't turn off. After finally falling asleep, my body would wake back up at like 4am or 5am. It was a lot going on!
One night I had a dream that my teeth fell out. When I woke up... first, I checked to make sure all my teeth were actually there lol They were all accounted for! Then, I went to Google to find out what it meant. I found that dreams of your teeth falling out mean:
You are experiencing a significant change in your life
A relationship ended abruptly (Grief)
You're under an intense amount of stress
You're dealing with a lot of anxiety
Y'all that was my exact situation! The move was a significant change in my life. Grad school and the headstone being wrong was causing stress and anxiety. Grief was hitting hard because talking about the headstone just brought back memories of being at the cemetery, committing his body. I could see what the casket looked like draped with the American flag. I could hear how the bugle sounded playing "Taps." I could feel how cold and windy it was that day.
This experience reminded me of the trouble I had sleeping and the crazy dreams I had before I left teaching. It was hard to sleep at night. I would wake up at 3am every morning and just cry. I was stressed, depressed, and grieving the career I thought I loved and would be in forever. It felt like I was having a constant panic attack. It was hard to breathe all the time and that's exactly what I felt last week.
So, what I learned is that grief is still there even in your sleep. I know that grief affects me when I'm awake because I feel it and can kind of prepare myself for it. But I was not ready for grief and every other emotion I felt last week to affect me in my sleep and dreams. Maybe you've had some weird dreams or haven't been able to sleep either, it may be connected to what is happening not only around you but also IN you! Take some time to identify what is triggering you. I can't tell you what to do after you identify your triggers because I am still figuring that part out, but it definitely helped knowing what was causing MY TEETH TO FALL OUT!
I hope you read something that helped you, encouraged you, or at least made you smile or laugh...
Until next time y'all...
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