Does chronic pain influence our dreams? A dream content analytical approach
Jonas Mathes, Jennifer Schuffelen
Somnologie: Schlafforschung und Schlafmedizin July 24, 2023 DOI: 10.1007/s11818-023-00411-w (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort with matched control group Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Chronic pain patients and healthy control individuals matched in age and gender |
| Duration | 14 consecutive days |
| Topics | Dreaming |
| Keywords | Dream Distress Chronic pain Clinical psychology Physical therapy Psychotherapist |
| Key findings | Chronic pain patients report more frequent nightmares, pain dreams, negative dream content, and distress from life events compared to healthy controls, supporting continuity between waking pain and dream experiences. |
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.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on dreaming, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lucid Dreaming: a State of Consciousness with Features of Both Waking and Non-Lucid Dreaming Student volunteers trained to become lucid and signal lucidity with horizontal eye... | 2009 | Observational study | n = 6 |
| Nightmare Prevalence, Nightmare Distress, and Self-Reported Psychological Disturbance Young adults with a mean age of 20 years | 2002 | Prospective observational study | n = 116 |
| Long-term effects of extreme situational stress on sleep and dreaming Survivors of traumatic events who complained of sleep disturbances, compared with... | 1987 | Case-control study | n = 11 |
| The relationship of nightmare frequency and nightmare distress to well‐being Adults who reported dreams | 2004 | Observational cohort | n = 147 |
| Dreaming in NREM Sleep: A High-Density EEG Study of Slow Waves and Spindles Healthy human subjects | 2018 | Observational cohort | n = 14 |