Nightmares are disturbing dreams that trigger anxiety and fear, awakening the dreamer. Occasional nightmares are normal, however, a nightmare disorder is rare.
Nightmare disorder is when nightmares happen so often that they disrupt your sleep, cause extreme distress, make it difficult to function during the day and create fear of going to sleep.
Nightmares usually occur in the second half of the night when more time is spent in REM. It’s only a disorder if you experience:
Many different factors can result in a higher risk of nightmares including:
There are no medical tests done to diagnose nightmare disorders. A common diagnosis includes a certified doctor reviewing your medical history and symptoms.
The evaluation may include:
Physical exam to identify underlying conditions that may be contributing to excessive nightmares. If there’s an indication of anxiety or depression, you may be referred to a mental health professional. A discussion of symptoms that involves describing your experiences.
An overnight sleep study (polysomnography) to determine if your nightmares are connected to other sleep disorders.
Usually, there’s no treatment for nightmares. But if they’re impacting your everyday life then you may get:
If your nightmares are becoming more frequent, causing difficulty functioning during the daytime, including behavioral problems, and a fear of sleep, you can consult our mental health specialists at any time.