Lucid Dreams in Veterans With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Include Nightmares
K. Miller, R. Ross, Gerlinde C. Harb
Dreaming (New York, N.Y.) June 1, 2021 DOI: 10.1037/drm0000163 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional survey Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 54 |
| Population | Military veterans with PTSD |
| Topics | Dreaming Lucid dreaming |
| Key findings | Lucid nightmares are common in veterans with PTSD and are characterized by high awareness and low content control. |
Abstract
A previous study in military veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and recurrent nightmares found a high prevalence of lucid dreaming (LD), the awareness while a dream continues that one is dreaming, and an “LD profile” characterized by frequent dream awareness and rare dream content control. Given the importance of the nightmare disturbance in PTSD, this study assessed with questionnaires the prevalence and characteristics of lucid nightmares, specifically, in a sample of 54 veterans with PTSD. Over half the sample endorsed experiencing LD, with nearly all of these individuals explicitly reporting lucidity in nightmares. The lucid nightmare profile was characterized by high awareness and low content control. Veterans reported feeling stuck and anxious, trying unsuccessfully to awaken from lucid nightmares. We conclude that lucid nightmares may occur commonly in veterans with PTSD, with a profile resembling that previously reported for LD experiences generally in this group.