What About Night Terrors?
Night terrorsare similar tonightmaresbut do not happen during REM sleep.
Although they differ, both nightmares and bad dreams are negativedreamsthat can affect the rest of your day.
Tero Vesalainen / Getty Images
They also can be treated with similar medical or behavioral interventions.
Bad dreams are, however, more common than nightmares for both children and adults.
Nightmare disorder is prevalent in 2% to 6% of adults.
The likelihood of getting nightmares tends to decrease between the ages of 50 and 59.
By the age of 60, they are more consistent and there is no longer anygender difference.
A review of different literature included many research studies that found correlations between nightmares and PTSD.
Researchers also found that those with a history of nightmares reported having greater PTSD symptoms than those without.
Additionally, nightmares related to atraumatic eventare associated with more severe PTSD symptoms.
A research studythat included children andadolescentsstudents found an association between trauma, PTSD, anxiety, and sleep disturbance.
There was also a connection between depressive symptoms and nightmares in older adults.
Adults who have severe anxiety and depression reported a larger number of nightmares.
In a study involving women who overcame sexual assault, of those with nightmares 43% reported suicidal ideations.
If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact theNational Suicide Prevention Lifelineat988for support and assistance from a trained counselor.
If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.
For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.
Trauma
Both adults and children who have experiencedearly traumahave a history of altered sleep quality and nightmares.
Dissociative disorders may be connected to nightmares due to their comorbidity with PTSD and stress.
It was also discovered that undergraduate college students who reported having nightmares had more dissociative-like experiences.
Sleep is a very vital aspect of life.
It is how one regenerates their body and mind.
Thepanic, anxiety, and depression associated with nightmares are also very impactful on ones quality of life.
Consistently being awakened in a frantic state by disturbing dreams is not a pleasant experience.
This negativity could easily throw the rest of your day off.
Treatment
Treatment for nightmare disorder could be both pharmacological and/or psychotherapeutic interventions.
Prazosin is an FDA-approved medication for high blood pressure but has been shown to treat nightmares associated with PTSD.
Research has recently discovered its benefits in treating nightmares.
Psychotherapeutic Treatment
Psychotherapeutic interventions consist of methodologies that are most likely conducted during therapy sessions.
This throw in of therapy is specifically for addressing nightmares related to trauma.
It helps one to approach these nightmares and discover methods of how toself-sootheduring the revisitation of these experiences.
It also involves being informed of healthy sleep habits and techniques for managing trauma.
Keep in Mind
Nightmares can bring a great deal of disturbance to an individuals life.
There could be plenty of other reasons you could be getting nightmares.
It also doesn’t mean you will get nightmares just because you have any of these conditions.
Nadorff MR, Lambdin KK, Germain A.Pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments for nightmare disorder.International review of psychiatry.
2014;26(2):225-236. doi:10.3109/09540261.2014.888989
Sleep Foundation.Nightmares.
Schredl M, Biemelt J, Roos K, Dunkel T, Harris N.Nightmares and stress in children.
2008; 10(1):1925.
Salvio MA, Wood JM, Schwartz J, Eichling PS.Nightmare prevalence in the healthy elderly.Psychology and Aging.
1992; 7(1):324 325. doi:10.1037/0882-7974.7.2.324
Mellman TA.
David D. Bustamante V.et al.Dreams in the Acute Aftermath of Trauma and Their Relationship to PTSD.J Trauma Stress.
2009;18(4):877-891. doi:10.1016/j.chc.2009.04.002
Nielsen TA.
2021;44(5):zsaa254.
