Nightmare Disorder.
Victoria R Garriques, Deepali M Dhruve, Michael R Nadorff
Sleep Medicine Clinics March 1, 2024 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsmc.2023.10.011 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Dreaming |
| Keywords | Dream Nightmare disorder Nightmares Parasomnia Rem sleep Sleep disorders Sleep disturbances |
| Key findings | Effective treatment for nightmare disorder requires considering both psychological and pharmacologic modalities, along with individual factors such as co-morbidities and cultural context. |
Abstract
This article presents a comprehensive review of nightmare disorder, covering diagnosis, treatment approaches, guidelines, and considerations. It begins with an introduction, defining the disorder and addressing its prevalence and psychosocial implications. The article explores assessment tools for diagnosis and then delves into psychological and pharmacologic treatment modalities, examining their efficacy and side effects. Considerations for optimizing therapeutic outcomes are highlighted, including medication versus psychotherapy, co-morbidities, cultural implications, and the use of technology and service animals. The review concludes by offering key recommendations for effective treatment and clinical care for individuals with nightmare disorder.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on dreaming, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The cognitive neuroscience of lucid dreaming | 2019 | Review | |
| Sleep and dreaming are for important matters | 2013 | Review | |
| Nightmare Disorder and Isolated Sleep Paralysis | 2020 | Review | |
| My Dream, My Rules: Can Lucid Dreaming Treat Nightmares? | 2019 | Review | |
| Dream Recall: State or Trait Variable? Part I: Model, Theories, Methodology and Trait Factors | 1996 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
- Treating narcolepsy-related nightmares with cognitive behavioural therapy and targeted lucidity reactivation: A pilot study. Journal of Sleep Research June 1, 2025
- When the mind reprocesses the night: A clinical case study on eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy for idiopathic nightmare disorder Sleep Research June 2, 2026
Cites 33
- Aetiology and treatment of nightmare disorder: State of the art and future perspectives Journal of Sleep Research January 29, 2019
- Lucid Dreaming Treatment for Nightmares: A Pilot Study Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics 2006
- Lucid Dreaming as a Treatment for Recurrent Nightmares Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics February 18, 2010
- An Ambulatory Polysomnography Study of the Post-traumatic Nightmares of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Sleep November 21, 2017
- Nightmare Disorder and Isolated Sleep Paralysis Neurotherapeutics November 23, 2020
and 28 more in the library