Correlates and Treatments of Nightmares in Adults.
Brant P Hasler, Anne Germain
Sleep Medicine Clinics December 1, 2009 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsmc.2009.07.012 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Dreaming |
| Key findings | Argues that nightmares are prevalent, especially in clinical populations, and are linked to sleep disturbance and waking psychopathology, with particular relevance to posttraumatic stress disorder and a possible role in its pathophysiology. Notes that effective pharmacological and psychosocial treatments now exist, but that more consistent assessment and more rigorous designs are needed to understand nightmares' causes and consequences. |
Abstract
Nightmares, distressing dreams that primarily arise from REM sleep, are prevalent among the general population and even more so among clinical populations. The frequency of nightmares and related nightmare distress are linked to both sleep disturbance and waking psychopathology. Based on the extant evidence, nightmares appear to be particularly relevant to posttraumatic stress disorder, and may even be implicated in its pathophysiology. Significant advances in treatment have occurred in recent years, with effective pharmacological and psychosocial interventions now available. Despite the progress that has been made, however, more consistent assessment methods and more rigorous study designs are needed to fully understand the causes and consequences of nightmares.
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 16
- My Dream, My Rules: Can Lucid Dreaming Treat Nightmares? Frontiers in Psychology 2019
- Nightmares in the general population: identifying potential causal factors Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology July 15, 2017
- The effectiveness of lucid dreaming therapy in patients with nightmares: A systematic review. L'Encephale October 1, 2023
- An Expert Consensus Statement for Implementing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Nightmares in Adults Behavioral Sleep Medicine January 15, 2025
- Understanding and Treating Nightmares: A Comprehensive Review of Psychosocial Strategies for Adults and Children. Cureus September 1, 2024
and 11 more in the library
Cites 12
- Nightmare Prevalence, Nightmare Distress, and Self-Reported Psychological Disturbance Sleep 2002
- The relationship of nightmare frequency and nightmare distress to well‐being Journal of Sleep Research May 26, 2004
- Lucid Dreaming as a Treatment for Recurrent Nightmares Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics February 18, 2010
- Measuring nightmare and bad dream frequency: impact of retrospective and prospective instruments Journal of Sleep Research May 13, 2008
- Variety and intensity of emotions in nightmares and bad dreams. The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease April 1, 2006
and 7 more in the library