Nightmare disorder
Nightmare disorder is associated with REM sleep, it is defined as recurrent episodes of awakening from sleep with full recall and alertness of the content of nightmares. Often the nightmares expose feelings of intense fear, anxiety, anger, sadness, disgust and other dysphoric emotions. Patients have difficulty falling asleep and episodes usually occur in the latter half of the sleep period.
Causes of Nightmare disorder
Often this disorder is mainly associated with other disorders such as post traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD), substance abuse, stress, anxiety, borderline personality and other psychiatric illnesses. Mainly those suffering from PTSD are highly likely to suffer from recurrent episodes. Nightmare disorder occurs in 4% of the adult population, with a higher proportion affecting adolescents and children.
Effects and Treatment
Suffering from nightmare disorder negatively affects a person’s quality of life, and can lead to avoiding sleep and sleep deprivation. This can lead to the the increased intensity of an episode. This disorder predisposes people to insomnia, daytime sleepiness, and fatigue. The persistent nightmares can also exacerbate the underlying illness. Patients note decreased well-being with increased amount of nightmare episodes. Treating the nightmares leads to better sleep quality, feeling more rested, and reporting less daytime fatigue. Treatment is primarily medication and several behavioral therapies, that prove effective in most patients.
If you or someone you know suffer from frequent nightmares, speak to your physician as to the cause and what can be done to improve quality of life.
Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, Vol.6, No. 4, 2010, Best Practice Guide for the Treatment of Nightmare Disorder in Adults
