Nightmares.

I had a pretty traumatic childhood. From a really young age I started having nightmares that were extremely vivid and realistic. I still have them a lot especially when stressed. They are so realistic that I don't even know the difference between when I have woken up or when I am asleep. I used to take medicine to sleep but it made it hard to get up for work and also impossible for my husband to wake me if I was having a nightmare.Ibhave been to 3 sleep specialists each at a request from my pschyciatrist and nothing they suggested helped at all. Do any of you have this problem and if so how do you cope with them? What are some good ways to help ease my mind and maybe prevent nightmares?