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Spirits In The Bedroom

 

I have bad dreams. Often. As a 12 year old, it wasn't unusual. But I'm 24 now. Although I hadn't had any problems for the last two years, after moving into my own place a month ago, they started again.

At first, it was just nightmares. I'd wake up, remind myself I was OK, then fall back asleep. But it got worse. After a week of isolated nightmares, even when I woke myself up, when I fell back asleep the nightmare would continue right where it left off.

I live in a mother-in-law suite that is attached to a main house, but is its own entity. So I'm all by myself, except for my lop-eared rabbit, Dexter. I live in a rural part of Atlantic County, New Jersey, close to the shore, but I am completely surrounded by woods. I am typically pretty brave; I attended school in North Philadelphia and lived a block away from what was at the time one of the top 10 most dangerous neighborhoods in the country. I don't scare easily. Even though the woods creep all the way up to my driveway, and my porch and front door are right off the driveway. My front door and my bedroom window face these woods. But, again, I don't scare easily.

This week the nightmares have been accompanied by night sweats. I've had to wake up several times in the middle of the night to change clothes, and two nights ago, I even had to lay a towel down because of how badly I had soaked through my sheets. I'm a relatively skinny girl and in relatively good shape, so in general I don't sweat much.

Last night was different than the few nights prior. I didn't want to go to bed, and stayed awake texting my long distance girlfriend about how I wish she was here to sleep with me. Miraculously, I never have nightmares or night sweats when she's there. I reluctantly closed my eyes around 12:05am and quickly fell asleep, but awoke after quite some time. Or so I thought, until I looked at the clock. It was 12:19. In those 14< minutes I had a long dream that I didn't recall, but felt like it had gone on forever. That was when I knew it was going to be a long night.

I woke up to change my clothes for the first time a little after 1:00am. My neck was soaked, which was weird. Who sweats on their neck? Subsequently, my pillow was soaked. I decided to go back to bed nude. It was 2:26am the next time I woke. (I know this because I texted my girlfriend asking her to 'come save me' from whatever nightmare I had just experienced.) This time I put clothes on- a tee-shirt and sweat pants. This is unusual for me, since I typically can't get comfortable laying down in pants. But I figured the clothes would soak up the sweat and then my sheets wouldn't get wet.

I'm miserable at this point. My heart is racing from the nightmares, I want to cry because I'm so tired, but I'm afraid to sleep. At another point not too long after that, I awoke screaming. I roll over to face my window, because my alarm clock is on that side of my bed. My back is to my bedroom door. I'm half-awake now, exhausted but watching the clock trying not to fall back into my nightmare. It's 3:00am.

All of a sudden, I hear something, feel something. Someone is in my apartment. My first thought is "Where is my gun?" But I don't have a gun. I'm wondering if I should scream for my landlord in the attached house, if I should hide, if I should confront the intruder- but I'm paralyzed with fear. My bedroom door opens. I close my eyes tight. Is this how I die?

There is a weight on the bed, and I can tell it is a female. I am partially relieved, thinking maybe it is my landlord checking on me after hearing me scream. She is very motherly and has been good to me. But she surely would have knocked, I would have heard it. I heard the door open, after all. Then the mysterious woman lies in bed with me, and I feel her lay against me and drape an arm around my waist, and one under the pillow my head is on.

I stop trying to understand; I relax, and enjoy the comfort and the peace that having a body in bed with me pressed up against mine brings. This is what I miss my girlfriend for; embracing me in my sleep so that I know the demons in my nightmares can't harm me in my sleep. All I can think is "Thank God I put pants on and am not naked, otherwise this would be awkward." The woman let\'s me know that I am okay, I am safe, I can go to sleep. So I do. After a little bit of time, I wake up to a light tapping on my arm, the arm I have underneath my pillow. She asks if I am okay, if it is okay for her to leave. I say something along the lines of "Mhmmm" and feel her get out of bed, hear my bedroom door open and then close. Then quiet. I quickly fall back asleep.

Then I jolt awake, terrified. It's 3:25am. Who was that in bed with me?! I check my phone, because surely before someone would come into my apartment they would try to get a hold of me via call or text. Nothing. I realize that I only heard my bedroom door open, and not my front door or the door that connects to the house, so I realize she must still be in the apartment. I get up, turn on my bedroom light and rush out into the main part of the apartment, expecting to see whoever she is asleep on my couch. Nothing. Just my rabbit, happy to have a playmate at such an unusual hour, running circles around my feet and honking. I check the locks on the doors, they're all still secure. I am still terrified. Mostly because I don't know if I am crazy, or if someone really was in my apartment. I'm not sure which scenario I would prefer.

I stay awake until the skies start to brighten around 5am. I consider calling out of work, since I have to wake up in 2 hours and haven't slept yet. But I don't want to be alone in my apartment.

Now I am left to wonder who tried to comfort me from the terrors of the night, but left me even more horrified and questioning my sanity. Was it the elderly woman that died there? Or someone from my life? I haven't lost any nurturing, affectionate woman that would comfort me like that. Could it have been my beloved dog in human form that had heartbreakingly passed recently?

Or am I just crazy.

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The following comments are submitted by users of this site and are not official positions by yourghoststories.com. Please read our guidelines and the previous posts before posting. The author, dstan0228, has the following expectation about your feedback: I will participate in the discussion and I need help with what I have experienced.

jynnantonnix (2 stories) (21 posts)
+1
10 years ago (2014-11-10)
I'd go with the night terrors theory as well. And with the thought that as much as you were highly stressed and missing your girlfriend, your subconscious fulfilled that wish for you.

Dreams can be incredibly real. I hope it's ok if I share something here as it's somewhat on topic. If I thought there was any chance it was paranormal I'd write a story about it, but it's just not.

Some years ago, I came down with a really vicious stomach bug. Not pretty. I couldn't keep anything down at all, and was completely wiped out from constantly vomiting up nothing by the next day.

We happened to be fairly good friends with a doctor and his wife who lived next door (military housing), and I finally called her to see whether her husband could recommend some medication or course of action, and he was kind enough to write me out a prescription and bring it over on his lunch break.

I forget the name of the medication, but it did work, and also left me in a very woozy, half-conscious state. And during this time, over the course of a few hours, every time I closed my eyes, I'd drift off, and start to feel a pair of hands around my ankles, slowly, inexorably pulling me toward the end of the bed and sometimes all the way to the floor and down the hall before I struggled back to wakefulness and found I had not moved. I have never forgotten (and it's been 20 years) just how real and terrifying it felt. And only marginally better than puking up my guts every 5 minutes.
eetanam (2 stories) (1 posts)
 
10 years ago (2014-11-07)
I suffer from sleep paralysis and this sounds like something similar to that. With sleep paralysis you wake up from a dream but the chemical that keeps your body from moving during sleep has not worn off. Because your mind is still groggy and it is an unsettleling feeling to not be able to move your body your brain often creates disturbing scenarios to go along with the frightening feeling of paralysis. When it happens to me I often think I hear people coming in my house and am powerless to get up and do anything. Or sometimes I will think I have gotten up and envision myself downstairs checking things out only to realize I have fallen back asleep and still cannot move. Many people believe sleep paralysis to be a somewhat super natural experince, and even though I have educated myself on it I too cannot complete rule out super natural influence on some of my episodes.

If you think it could be possible that this is what's happening to you then its worth reading up on. I was to the point where I was scared to go to sleep because I was having so many sleep paralysis episodes. Now that I have educated myself I have been able to find out what triggers me and how to coerce myself out of an episode. (A good trick if you are awake and can't move your body is to wiggle the fingers and toes first rather then try to flail your body around, then work to larger extremities.) It hasn't stopped them completely and its still not easy to break out of an episode but it has helped me immensly. Also it has given me piece of mind in knowing that I'm not alone and not crazy.
pjs1977 (2 stories) (48 posts)
 
10 years ago (2014-11-06)
Wow Stan what a story. You know who I think it was who came in your room to comfort you from the night terrors? I think you were having a very vivid dream that almost felt real. Somewhere in your subconscious mind there is someone who loves you very much in a maternal way who is guarding and protecting you perhaps your mom grandmother or maybe it was your girlfriend in your sleep. I have to say quite and interesting story. Thanks for sharing.
MandyyNicole (7 stories) (183 posts)
+1
10 years ago (2014-11-06)
Oh my, you poor thing! I agree, it does sound like night terrors. They can be accompanied by severe night sweats as well. If you are on any new medication, that could also account for the night sweats (it's an actual condition, if it continues to bother you I recommend seeing a doctor... They can also help with the nightmares). I feel as though the woman who came to lay with you was either, A) a figment of your imagination and subconscious, comforting you. Or B) possibly the woman who you say passed away. No matter what, I think it's very sweet you had someone there with you that night, regardless of their true nature.
And, I absolutely love your theory on you dog taking human form in the afterlife. That's something i've never heard before 😁
I hope things get better for you, I know the struggles of nightmare laden dreams. ❤
elnoraemily (guest)
 
10 years ago (2014-11-06)
I don't think you are crazy.

I do, however, think that this may be a natural occurrence. It sounds like you are experiencing night terrors and vivid dreams.

If you drink caffeine, I would stop for a week and see if that improves your dreams. Also, try meditation before sleep- getting into a calm and centered state before sleep can help keep you in a better place. If you believe in crystals, get a blue lace agate. It is said to help sooth and promote calmness and happiness.

You can try to cleanse your house as well, to help promote some positivism.

Try not to focus on it or think about your experiences before sleep, as well. Your subconscious can use your fear to create more nightmares.

This also sounds silly, but getting a nightlight or keeping a hall light on can really help.
Raftingirl (2 stories) (113 posts)
+1
10 years ago (2014-11-06)
I don't think you are crazy, many people experience night terrors. People think I am crazy because I believe in ghosts, but that is because they have never experienced them. What I think happened to you was possibly a guardian angel/spirit? It didn't sound like it was malicious, so you shouldn't be worried.

I hope your night terrors go away, but in the meantime, if you have some comfort - embrace it:)
sushantkar (16 stories) (533 posts)
 
10 years ago (2014-11-06)
Hello dstan0228! After reading your story my thoughts are strongly leaning towards that you are suffering from 'Chronic Nightmare'
Another reason behind you continuous ordeals is that you might have continuing the same pattern after pattern in your waking life. Bad dreams indicates unresolved issues and unexpressed emotions.
But the opposite side apart from the above mentioned points are people also connects it with death omens.

Be safe

With best regards

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