Does chronic pain influence our dreams? A dream content analytical approach

Chronic pain patients experience more frequent nightmares, greater nightmare distress, more pain dreams, and more distress from life events than healthy controls. They also report more negative and aggressive dream content and physical sensations in dreams. These findings confirm a continuity between waking-life pain and dream experiences, with distress from critical life events contributing to negative dream affect and pain perception.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Abstract Background To date, the relationship between frequent nightmares, chronic pain, waking-life distress and sleep quality is still unclear. Previous research has shown that chronic pain patients reported more frequent nightmares and critical life events compared to a control group. Moreover, patients reported pain dreams similar to pain in their waking-life, whereas controls reported pain dreams sparsely. Objective The aim of this study was to replicate these findings and to analyze the dream content of chronic pain patients in more detail. Methods A sample of chronic pain patients and healthy control individuals, matched in age and gender, were recruited. All participants completed psychometric questionnaires and a narrative dream diary for 14 consecutive days. Results Nightmare frequency, nightmare distress, pain dreams and distress caused by life events were increased in chronic pain patients compared to the control group. In addition, the patient group reported significantly more negative and aggressive dream contents and physical sensations in their dreams than the controls. These findings replicate continuity between waking-life and dream experiences concerning pain sensation. Distress caused by critical life events also played an important role in negative dream affect and pain perception.