[Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy of insomnia and nightmare disorder].
Lukas Frase, Simone B Duss, Annika Gieselmann, Thomas Penzel, Thomas C. Wetter, Thomas Pollmächer
Der Nervenarzt July 2020 DOI: 10.1007/s00115-019-00803-0 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Dreaming |
| Keywords | Imagery rehearsal therapy Sleep Telemedicine Telepsychiatry Web-based therapy |
| Key findings | The authors argue that web-based cognitive behavioral therapy can help overcome the shortage of qualified psychotherapists that contributes to ineffective, non-guideline-conform treatment of insomnia and nightmare disorder. They note that several English- and German-language internet-based programs exist for insomnia, some evaluated for work-related stress and sleep problems, and that imagery rehearsal therapy for nightmares transfers easily to internet delivery. They contend that current internet-based treatment does not yet use all theoretically available technical possibilities. |
Abstract
Cognitive behavioral therapeutic interventions are considered to be one of the most effective forms of treatment of various mental disorders. Besides being very frequent, sleep disorders, such as insomnia and nightmare disorder are often not treated effectively and guideline-conform, mainly due to the lack of qualified psychotherapists. Implementation of modern technical options, such as web-based psychotherapy can help to overcome this problem. This article presents the current situation in the treatment of insomnia and nightmare disorders as particularly well-suited fields of application. For insomnia there are several English language and also recently German language options, which for example were also evaluated for the application to work-related stress and sleep disorders. In this respect, procedures with and without contact to a therapist or multicomponent procedures and single interventions can be differentiated. For nightmare disorders imagery rehearsal therapy provides a structure, which can also easily be transferred to an internet-based therapy program. The currently beginning use of internet-based treatment of sleep disorders does not yet utilize all theoretically available technical possibilities. The potential of internet-based therapy is extremely versatile and it remains for medical sleep experts to consider which method can be used for which indications.
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 3
- Aetiology and treatment of nightmare disorder: State of the art and future perspectives Journal of Sleep Research January 29, 2019
- The Effects of an Internet-Based Imagery Rehearsal Intervention: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics 2017
- Cognitive-behavioral self-help treatment for nightmares: a randomized controlled trial. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics 2010