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Sleep and Dreaming in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Katherine E Miller1,2, Janeese A Brownlow3, Steve Woodward1,2
1National Center for PTSD, Dissemination and Training Division, VA Palo Alto Healthcare System, Menlo Park, CA, USA.
Current Psychiatry Reports
|August 23, 2017
Summary
Sleep disturbances, including nightmares and insomnia, are common in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Treatments targeting these sleep issues show promise for improving PTSD symptoms.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Sleep Medicine
- Trauma Studies
Background:
- Sleep disturbances are a hallmark of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- Trauma survivors frequently experience nightmares, insomnia, and other sleep disorders.
- Understanding the link between trauma and sleep is crucial for effective PTSD treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize sleep disturbances in PTSD.
- To summarize the relationship between trauma exposure and sleep difficulties.
- To highlight treatments for trauma-related nightmares and insomnia.
Main Methods:
- This study is a review of existing literature.
- It synthesizes current knowledge on trauma and sleep.
- It identifies empirically supported treatments.
Main Results:
- Fear of sleep, REM density, and reduced parasympathetic activity are implicated in trauma-related sleep issues.
- The potential adaptive role of acute sleep loss post-trauma is increasingly recognized.
- Interventions for sleep disturbances demonstrate potential in symptom reduction.
Conclusions:
- Sleep disturbances are integral to PTSD and warrant targeted interventions.
- Further longitudinal research is needed to clarify sleep's role in PTSD development, course, and treatment.
- Effective treatments for sleep disturbances may improve overall PTSD outcomes.
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