Are you writing a thriller in which a character is haunted by a reoccurring nightmare? Would some descriptive words help you with your writing? Check out this post on how to describe waking up from a nightmare in a story!
1. Anxious
Definition
Worried and nervous.
Examples
“He awoke to the anxious thudding of his heart and cold sweat upon his brow.”
“The nightmare had left him anxious and unable to sleep. Yet, at the same time, he could not bring himself to get out of bed.”
How it Adds Description
Waking up from a nightmare can often leave someone feeling on edge even after being awake for a little while. They may be very wary and nervous about things in the waking world, so you may wish to describe them as “anxious”.
2. Breathless
Definition
- Unable to breathe easily.
- Breathing too fast.
Examples
“He jolted awake in the middle of the night, feeling suffocated and breathless from the vivid nightmare that had just plagued his sleep.”
“Gasping for air, she woke up breathless from a nightmare that felt all too real.”
How it Adds Description
Sometimes people can wake up from nightmares gasping for air, either out of sheer panic or from the content of the bad dream. Describing their “breathless” reaction can help to spread this panic to your reader so that they understand just how scary the nightmare was for your character.
3. Disoriented
Definition
Confused and not knowing what to do or where to go.
Examples
“As she woke up disoriented from the nightmare, it took her a moment to realize that she was in her own bed, safe from the terrifying creatures of her dreams.”
“Drenched in sweat and with a racing heart, he woke up disoriented from the nightmare, unsure of where he was or what was real.”
How it Adds Description
When someone wakes up from a nightmare, they can often feel “disoriented” and confused, as their brain struggles to make sense of the sudden shift from the dream world to reality. The intense emotions and sensations experienced during a nightmare can make it difficult to distinguish between what is real and what is not, not only confounding your character but your reader, too!
4. Distressed
Definition
Upset or worried.
Examples
“Tears streaming down her face, she woke up distressed from a nightmare that had stirred up painful memories and emotions she thought she had buried long ago.”
“He woke up distressed and shaking, the vivid nightmare leaving him with an overwhelming sense of dread and an urgent need to escape the darkness that had enveloped him in his sleep.”
How it Adds Description
When someone wakes up “distressed” from a nightmare, they are usually experiencing incredibly strong emotions brought on by the bad dream. These emotions can be so intense that they may continue to linger long after the person has woken up, helping you to display the lasting impact of the nightmare to your reader.
5. Emotional
Definition
Having strong feelings.
Examples
“Overwhelmed, she woke up emotional from the nightmare, struggling to calm her racing heart and ease the knot in her stomach that refused to go away.”
“He woke up emotional from the nightmare as he tried to come to terms with the intense feelings of grief and loss that had left him reeling.”
How it Adds Description
“Nightmares can be emotionally intense experiences that can leave a person feeling overwhelmed. When someone wakes up “emotional” from a nightmare, this may be because it has tapped into fears and worries that the person has tried to suppress from their waking life. As a result, the emotions your character feels when they wake up can help give your reader an insight into their innermost thoughts and feelings.
6. Frantic
Definition
- Out of control thanks to extreme emotion.
- Extremely upset.
- Hurried due to anxiety or worry.
Examples
“Waking from the nightmare, she frantically threw back the covers to try to escape the monsters haunting her dreams.”
“She woke up frantic due to the nightmare, her heart and her thoughts racing as she struggled to differentiate between the nightmare and reality.”
How it Adds Description
Nightmares can be very distressing, and when someone wakes up from a particularly vivid or terrifying nightmare, they may experience a sense of panic or urgency that is difficult to shake off. This can lead to them feeling out of control, or lead to hurried movements and bodily sensations such as their heart beating or rapidly sitting up in bed. If this indicates how the character in your story wakes up, try describing them as “frantic”.
7. Panicked
Definition
Experiencing a sudden feeling of fear that makes it hard to compose oneself and think and act rationally.
Examples
“She woke up panicked from the nightmare, her body trembling with fear as she clung to her blankets.”
“He woke up with a panicked yelp from the nightmare, which many of the other boys relentlessly teased him about at breakfast the next morning.”
How it Adds Description
Sometimes nightmares make us lose our composure, meaning that we react in unexpected ways when we wake up from them out of sheer fear. This “panicked” response might even catch your reader off-guard!
8. Relieved
Definition
Happy that something bad had not happened or that something bad has ended.
Examples
“He woke up relieved, the feeling of dread and despair that had consumed him in his sleep fading away as he realized that the worst was over and that he had made it through the night.”
“She flicked her eyes open rapidly, expecting to still be in the hellscape of her nightmare, but was relieved to see the four walls of her bedroom.”
How it Adds Description
Waking up from a nightmare can sometimes be a pleasant experience, especially when the person realizes it is not real. Create a feeling of safety for them and your reader by describing them as being “relieved” that it is all over.
9. (With a) Start
Definition
Moving suddenly when something has surprised or scared someone.
Examples
“She awoke with a start, her heart threatening to beat out of her chest.”
“He awoke with such a start from the nightmare that he had to act quickly to stop himself from falling out of the bed.”
How it Adds Description
Sometimes waking up can trigger sudden movements, such as a gasp, reflexes such as a kick, or even the shock of feeling like you have fallen from a great height onto your bed! If your character wakes up “with a start” then it is clear to your reader that there was something scary in their dream they needed to get away from!
10. Terrified
Definition
Examples
“Shrieking in fear, she woke up terrified from the nightmare, her body drenched in sweat.”
“He woke up terrified from the nightmare, his heart racing and his hands trembling as he tried to catch his breath, the memory of the terrifying images still fresh in his mind.”
How it Adds Description
Rather than just describing someone as scared, “terrified” gives a greater depth of emotion when it comes to waking up from a nightmare. For example, they may be incredibly confident in their daily life, but suddenly they are reduced to a quivering wreck thanks to their bad dreams.