I am sure that we can all remember those anxious moments from our teacher training of delivering those first ever lessons to a class of children. Like me, I am sure you conjured up every circumstance that could go wrong.
Moving into those first years of work we have all had a “nightmare class” who continually tried our patience and made us question our ability as a teacher.
In those beginning years of teaching, I would have nightmares in which the class would take over and no matter what I did the children would become increasingly out of control. I would wake and tell myself it was just a bad dream. That this would not happen.
It was only when I became a middle leader that I can remember having a conversation with a trusted peer who also said they had the same thing.
Until that moment, I had thought it was just me, I had never shared those fears with other colleagues.
I think I had always wanted to appear in control, be seen by others as a metaphorical “safe pair of hands” and hence had not wished to reveal such weaknesses.
But research from Education Support UK tells us seemingly every year that sleepless nights are a common occurrence for teaching staff.
Indeed, last year’s report found that insomnia and difficulty sleeping were reported by 51% of teachers and 55% of senior leaders (Education Support, 2023). We are not alone!
During my career, the nightmares have remained, but their content has become subtly different. I am also more aware of when they will take place.
In those years of deputy headship and then headship, the nightmare moved to being an assembly out of control and the children in the hall taking over and, as ever, I was unable to do anything.
A less extreme version of the dream was standing on the stage and not being able to remember what I wanted to say. Or losing the power of speech and knowing exactly what I wished to say but not being able to say it. Assemblies then morphed into the staff meeting when the colleagues in the room would turn into the unruliest class.
I began to find that such dreams tended to take place at three points in the year. Normally two nights before the start of term after the summer, Christmas, and Easter holidays – it was almost as though during those extended holidays my mind would move away from its state of constant alertness of the rest of the year and as soon as I crossed back into work mode, I would have the nightmare.
As a system leader, they have never disappeared but again evolved. My most recent included colleagues in a headteacher meeting being extremely challenging, while in another I was late for a trustee meeting, and it turned into a meeting from hell.
Why do we have nightmares?
So why do we have nightmares? What brings those unsettling nocturnal visitors? When I researched this, I found there were generally four reasons.
The first is anxiety and stress, when the weight of our daily worries, the unresolved conflicts and uncertainties in our lives manifest as nightmares. Our subconscious mind is processing these concerns, and it is this act that can bring those distressing dreams.
The second is recent, past, or buried trauma resurfacing in our dreams. If our dreams become recurrent nightmares, where the same incident is continually replayed in our head, this could indicate post-traumatic stress disorder.
The third is due to changes in sleep patterns. Our sleep is affected due to a new schedule or irregular sleep patterns, and this can trigger nightmares as our mind is grappling with these disruptions and weaving them into unsettling dreamscapes – a reminder of the importance of regular sleep routines for teachers.
Finally, our physical health can cause nightmares. Illness, fever, medication, or the simple need to use the bathroom during the night can all disrupt our sleep and lead to vivid dreams.
As I read those four explanations, I can link different nightmare occurrences to varying situations or periods in my life. And, to an extent, the idea that nightmares are caused by our brains processing events can give a positive slant to them.
When nightmares become a problem?
When those nightmares can become a problem is when they begin to manifest as insomnia. There was period in my career when for an extended time I would wake up at 2:22am and then struggle to return to sleep as events and scenarios would constantly replay in my mind. Over time this took its toll.
In hindsight, I wish I had discussed this more openly with my friends and family so that they could have supported me and perhaps have made suggestions as to how to deal with this.
If I was not able to share this with those closest to me, it is no surprise that I was never able to share this with even my immediate colleagues, such as my senior leadership team, never mind colleagues in the staffroom.
In fact, as a young head of faculty, I can remember something said to me by an experienced colleague from a different subject area who was, at that time, having a challenging time with behaviour. He told me that I was like swan as I serenely moved around school.
In that moment, I should have shared those night-time terrors with her rather than my flippant reply: “I may look calm, but I am paddling like crazy under the water.”
In a previous article, I wrote about wellbeing strategies to help school staff deal with the stress of Ofsted inspection. I am sure that for many colleagues these visits provoke many nightmares and I hope that those ideas will have given some support.
But there are some situations when you should see a GP and I would encourage colleagues to do this if insomnia is becoming a problem. If changing your sleeping habits has not helped your insomnia, if you have had trouble sleeping for months, and if your insomnia is affecting your daily life in a way that makes it hard for you to cope – see your GP.
Practical steps to improve your sleep
So if you are affected by all I have described above, what practical steps can you take?
First, we can research how to improve our sleep hygiene. Simple ideas can include going to bed and getting up at a regular time; not drinking alcohol or caffeine close to bedtime; not looking at screens in the 30 minutes before going to bed; even creating your own relaxing routine.
Second, we can try to reduce our stress and anxiety – and there is so much written on this theme, not least in SecEd.
It is important to point out that if you or those around you feel this is a significant issue, then you must seek advice from experts.
Third, there may be a chance that stress and anxiety can lead to PTSD or depression. We cannot manage these situations on our own so again we need to seek advice starting with our GP. Or consider calling the Education Support helpline, which is available 24/7 (see further information).
It’s good to talk
We will all have occasional nightmares in our lifetime as this is part of our brain processing incidents that have occurred. We should not feel that we cannot discuss these with our colleagues as they may have similar occurrences.
If we talk to our family and friends, they can be the lightning rod as to whether we should seek help. Let them guide and support you.
We all know teaching and school leadership can be very challenging, but we should feel fortunate that we work in a time when we can be more open, and we should all support one another in our daily lives.
- Paul K Ainsworth has held director of school improvement roles in four multi-academy trusts and is currently the education director with Infinity Academies Trust in Lincolnshire. He has supported leaders of small rural primary schools to large 11 to 18 urban secondaries, working intensively with those in Ofsted categories. He is the author of No Silver Bullets: Day-in, day-out school improvement and No Silver Bullets 2.0: The heart and soul of school improvement. Find his previous articles and podcast appearances for SecEd via www.sec-ed.co.uk/authors/paul-k-ainsworth
Further information & resources
- Education Support: Teacher Wellbeing Index 2023: www.educationsupport.org.uk/resources/for-organisations/research/teacher-wellbeing-index/
- SecEd Podcast: Two recent episodes of the SecEd Podcast looked at staff wellbeing. The first looked at what schools can do to support staff and the second interviewed a teacher who quit after burning out. Both episodes offer valuable advice for teachers and school leaders. Find these episodes here.
Do you need help?
- Teachers or education staff feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call the Education Support helpline on 08000 562 561. The number is free, open 24/7 and offers immediate support. You can also visit www.educationsupport.org.uk/get-help/
- You do not have to be in crisis to speak to a qualified councillor. If you’re worried you cannot keep yourself safe right now, call 999 or go to A&E.