Dream tyranny: Hyperonirism diagnostic criteria.
L'Encephale June 1, 2026 Pierre A Geoffroy, Sammy Saadi, Sibylle Mauries et al.
Hyperonirism, or 'epic dreaming,' is an emerging clinical phenomenon marked by excessive, vivid, and continuous dream activity that disrupts sleep and causes daytime fatigue. Four patients at sleep and psychiatry centers described dream activity that was frequent, intrusive, and mentally exhausting, yet distinct from nightmares because the content was not necessarily negative. Comprehensive evaluations, including polysomnography and actigraphy, found largely normal objective sleep measures, highlighting a disconnect between subjective experience and standard tests. Psychiatric conditions like depression or anxiety were common but insufficient to explain the hyperonirism. This case series supports recognizing hyperonirism disorder as a distinct condition at the intersection of sleep medicine and psychiatry, with proposed diagnostic criteria covering both nocturnal and daytime symptoms.