The relationships between insomnia, nightmares, and dreams: A systematic review
Sleep Medicine Reviews April 16, 2024 J.P. Delage, Jeannie Côté, William-Girard Journault et al. 22 citations
Insomnia and nightmares frequently co-occur and worsen each other. This systematic review of 67 studies found consistent positive links between insomnia and nightmares across diverse groups—people with insomnia or nightmares, general populations, students, children, older adults, military personnel, and veterans—even during the COVID-19 pandemic. People with insomnia also report more negative dream content and emotions than controls. Some interventions, like Imagery Rehearsal Therapy, may reduce both conditions. The authors propose a model where insomnia increases nightmare likelihood, and nightmares then cause sleep loss and nonrestorative sleep.