The relationships between insomnia, nightmares, and dreams: A systematic review
J.P. Delage, Jeannie Côté, William-Girard Journault, Alexandre Lemyre, Célyne Bastien
Sleep Medicine Reviews April 16, 2024 DOI: 10.1016/j.smrv.2024.101931 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Individuals without a concomitant psychopathology, including those with insomnia or nightmares, general population, students, children, older adults, military personnel and veterans |
| Intervention | Imagery Rehearsal Therapy |
| Topics | Dreaming |
| Keywords | Insomnia Psycinfo Context archaeology Psychopathology Clinical psychology Population Medline |
| Citations | 22 |
| Key findings | Insomnia and nightmares are positively related and may be mutually aggravating across diverse populations, with insomnia also linked to more negative dream content. |
Abstract
Insomnia and nightmares are both prevalent and debilitating sleep difficulties. The present systematic review aims to document the relationships between insomnia and nightmares in individuals without a concomitant psychopathology. The relationships between insomnia and dreams are also addressed. PsycINFO and Medline were searched for papers published in English or French from 1970 to March 2023. Sixty-seven articles were included for review. Most results support positive relationships between insomnia variables and nightmare variables in individuals with insomnia, individuals with nightmares, the general population, students, children and older adults, and military personnel and veterans. These positive relationships were also apparent in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some psychological interventions, such as Imagery Rehearsal Therapy, might be effective in alleviating both nightmares and insomnia symptoms. Regarding the relationships between insomnia and dreams, compared with controls, the dreams of individuals with insomnia are characterized by more negative contents and affects. The results show that insomnia and nightmares are connected and may be mutually aggravating. A model is proposed to explain how insomnia might increase the likelihood of experiencing nightmares, and how nightmares can in turn lead to sleep loss and nonrestorative sleep.
Comparable studies
Other systematic reviews and meta-analyses on dreaming, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dreaming as mind wandering: evidence from functional neuroimaging and first-person content reports. | 2013 | Systematic review with meta-analytic comparison | |
| Lucid dreaming incidence: A quality effects meta-analysis of 50 years of research | 2016 | Meta-analysis | |
| The effectiveness of lucid dreaming therapy in patients with nightmares: A systematic review. Adults with chronic and recurring nightmares | 2023 | Systematic review | |
| Psychosocial treatments for nightmares in adults and children: a systematic review | 2023 | Systematic review | |
| Bad dream, nightmares and psychopathology: a systematic review Psychiatric populations with a diagnosis of psychopathological disorders or nightmare... | 2024 | Systematic review | n = 34 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 13
- More dreams of the rarebit fiend: food sensitivity and dietary correlates of sleep and dreaming Frontiers in Psychology July 1, 2025
- Unveiling the subconscious: How sexual dreams reflect and intensify mental problems Sleep Research December 17, 2024
- Nightmares in Swiss elite athletes: Associated factors Journal of Sleep Research July 1, 2024
- Dream experiences and associated sleep, mental health, and lifestyle factors in Japanese adolescents: a cross-sectional study Sleep Epidemiology September 29, 2026
- Is a fear of death keeping you awake at night? Death anxiety predicts insomnia through nightmare severity Death Studies July 2, 2026
and 8 more in the library
Cites 45
- Insomnia Symptoms, Nightmares, and Suicidal Ideation in a College Student Sample Sleep 2011
- Aetiology and treatment of nightmare disorder: State of the art and future perspectives Journal of Sleep Research January 29, 2019
- Prevalence and Correlates of Frequent Nightmares: A Community-Based 2-Phase Study Sleep June 1, 2010
- Efficacy of a Cognitive‐Behavioral Treatment for Insomnia and Nightmares in Afghanistan and Iraq Veterans With PTSD Journal of Clinical Psychology April 29, 2013
- Insomnia—perchance a dream? Results from a NREM/REM sleep awakening study in good sleepers and patients with insomnia Sleep February 8, 2018
and 40 more in the library