In the midnight hour: Cancer and nightmares. A review of theories and interventions in psycho-oncology.
David K Wellisch, Marie Cohen
Palliative & Supportive Care June 1, 2011 DOI: 10.1017/s147895151100006x (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Cancer patients |
| Intervention | Imagery rehearsal therapy |
| Topics | Dreaming |
| Key findings | Imagery rehearsal therapy can facilitate empowerment in cancer patients experiencing threatening and conflictual dreams. |
Abstract
The purposes of this study were: (1) to explore cancer patients' complaints of poor sleep, which often involve a combination of somatic symptoms and nightmares; and (2) to understand these sleep disturbances in the light of modern dream theories and intervention modalities. The literature search originated with several major articles (Revonsuo, 2000; Krakow & Zadra, 2006; Hobson, 2009) which then opened up the search through their references. We also used the database PubMed, and employed the following key words: cancer, nightmares/dreams, sleep disturbances, and dream theory. The literature search covered the interval between 1900 (Freud, 1900) and 2009. Our criteria for selecting studies included the most recent major review articles on the neuroscience of sleep and dreams; articles reviewing sleep disturbances in cancer patients and relevant treatments; and articles reviewing interventions for traumatic dreams. Approximately 30 articles were deemed worthy of inclusion. Thirty article/books/chapters met the criteria for relevance related to key theories and clinical interventions related to nightmares and traumatic dreams of cancer patients. Key concepts involve threat simulation theory and imagery rehearsal therapy in regard to theoretical and interventional paradigms significantly generalizable to cancer patients. The dream material included in this article presents patients' attempts to deal with complex threats such as intense dependency/ loss of self-sufficiency, disfigurement, and death. This is especially true with regard to the doctor-patient relationship at all stages of the illness and disease. Imagery rehearsal can facilitate empowerment in light of highly threatening and conflictual cancer-related dreams in which the patient feels helpless and victimized. This review offers a new lens on current dream theories and understanding of sleep disturbance in cancer patients as well as their familes and medical caregivers. Modern theories lead to opportunities for intervention that can both relieve symptoms and improve communication between medical caregivers and patients and families.
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
Cites 6
- REM sleep and dreaming: towards a theory of protoconsciousness. Nature Reviews Neuroscience November 2009
- Dreaming in posttraumatic stress disorder: A critical review of phenomenology, psychophysiology and treatment. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics 2007
- Clinical management of chronic nightmares: imagery rehearsal therapy. Behavioral Sleep Medicine 2006
- The threat simulation theory of the evolutionary function of dreaming: Evidence from dreams of traumatized children. Consciousness and Cognition March 1, 2005
- Impact of imagery rehearsal treatment on distressing dreams, psychological distress, and sleep parameters in nightmare patients. Behavioral Sleep Medicine 2003
and 1 more in the library