Among military veterans with PTSD and recurrent nightmares, over half reported experiencing lucid dreaming, and nearly all of those reported lucidity specifically during nightmares. The lucid nightmare profile involved high awareness of dreaming but low ability to control dream content. Veterans described feeling stuck and anxious, and they tried unsuccessfully to wake themselves from these lucid nightmares. The pattern matches the general lucid dreaming profile previously observed in this group.
A modified version of exposure, relaxation, and rescripting therapy (ERRT-B) reduced nightmare frequency and severity in seven trauma-exposed individuals with bipolar disorder who had experienced frequent posttrauma nightmares for an average of 16 years. After five weeks of treatment, large improvements were seen in nightmare frequency, nightmare severity, and PTSD symptoms, with six participants reporting no nightmares at the three-month follow-up. Improvements in depression, global sleep quality, and insomnia severity were mixed. The findings suggest ERRT-B may be clinically useful for treating trauma-related nightmares in people with bipolar disorder and warrant further research.