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Updated: Jul 4, 2025

Biomarkers in an Animal Model for Revealing Neural, Hematologic, and Behavioral Correlates of PTSD
Published on: October 10, 2012
Sleep Disturbances Associated With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Christine J So1, Katherine E Miller1, Philip R Gehrman1
1Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (CJS, PRG), the Minneapolis VA Health Care System, Minneapolis, Minnesota (KEM), and the Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (PRG).
Abstract:
Sleep disturbances, namely insomnia and recurrent nightmares, are ubiquitous following trauma exposure and are considered hallmarks of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Other sleep disorders frequently co-occur with PTSD. This article describes research examining sleep problems most common in PTSD, including prevalence and clinical characteristics. Sleep disturbances are often robust to trauma-focused treatment; thus, evidence for psychological and pharmacological interventions for insomnia and nightmares in PTSD are discussed. Given the high prevalence of sleep problems in PTSD, more work is needed to empirically study putative mechanisms linking trauma exposure and sleep, as well as how to best target these symptoms in patients with PTSD.
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