I've been having this problem. I used to have more frequent nightmares, but I stopped having them regularly after a particular one where I stood up to the nightmare. It was nice not to be afraid anymore. However, even though they aren't frequent anymore, there's still a consistent time where I seem to have nightmares, ones that are realistic, vivid, and usually wake me up shaking or crying, and that is every time my husband goes to work early(usually about 2am-3am) and I go back to sleep after he's gone. No matter how long it takes me to get back to sleep after he leaves(this morning it was about 5:30), I will have awful nightmares that affect me worst than normal, usually about zombies, sometimes about murder or other things. It's getting to the point where I am actually physically exhausted, because I'm afraid to go back to sleep after he leaves. I can nap in the middle of the day without any nightmares, and I don't have any when he works any other shifts or is off, it's only when he leaves early. We've discussed it, and I'm beginning to wonder if I have separation anxiety causing these nightmares. But then wouldn't that affect me every time he leaves, not just early? Is there anyone that might be able to help figure out what's going on with me, or at least a method to prevent the nightmares?