The characteristics of these dreams vary based on the trauma experienced. However, they typically create feelings of dysphoria, anxiety, sudden awakening, and an increase in heart rate. PTSD dreams most often occur toward the end of the night, but they can happen in all sleep stages.
Some experts believe nightmares in PTSD are the sleeping version of “re-experiencing,” or reliving a traumatic event. When you're awake, reexperiencing may occur in the form of a flashback. These intrusive symptoms have to do with how PTSD changes brain regions involved in fear response and memory recall.
Moreover, having nightmares shortly following a traumatic event predicts more severe PTSD symptoms 6 weeks later. 11 Even with PTSD symptoms abating, nightmares can persist a lifetime.
Individuals diagnosed with PTSD might have severe nightmares or night terrors. These aren't your ordinary run-of-the-mill bad dreams. These often involve involuntary body movements, flailing around, and vivid imagery that can cause extreme stress, anxiety, and even pain.
The characteristics of these dreams vary based on the trauma experienced. However, they typically create feelings of dysphoria, anxiety, sudden awakening, and an increase in heart rate. PTSD dreams most often occur toward the end of the night, but they can happen in all sleep stages.
Nightmares are primarily a REM sleep phenomenon, but they may also occur during NREM sleep in patients with PTSD (12). These dysphoric dreams often depict themes, images, and emotions that can be related to traumatic events. Nightmares may trigger short or prolonged awakenings from sleep.
When someone experiences nightmares from PTSD, they can seem very real to them. They might feel like they are back in a situation that is not safe, the traumatic experience that caused the disruption in the first place. Symptoms can keep them awake or unable to fall asleep for long periods of time.
For veterans, an example of a PTSD nightmare usually involves the replaying of traumatic events they witnessed or took part in. Similar to civilians who suffer from PTSD, their nightmares could be a replay of the traumatic event, such as physical abuse or violence.
What Helps With PTSD Nightmares? You can make sure your bedroom is not too cold or too hot; start a nightly relaxation routine to prepare for sleep; ensure there isn't light in your room keeping you from sleeping deeply; exercise daily; talk about your dreams; and engage in Image Rehearsal Therapy (IRT).
Trying to wake them up can be dangerous but also futile. Many people in night terrors never wake up during the episode. What you can do is speak to them in a calm and soothing voice to offer comfort. If they get up but are not too agitated, gently guide them back to bed.
Women with PTSD may be more likely than men with PTSD to: Be easily startled. Have more trouble feeling emotions or feel numb. Avoid things that remind them of the trauma.
The nightmares may occur multiple times per week and can be very distressing and disruptive to the sleep of the affected person and others in the household. This article will go over how PTSD can cause sleep disturbances such as nightmares, and what treatment options are available.
If someone has PTSD, it may cause changes in their thinking and mood. They may suffer from recurrent, intrusive memories. Upsetting dreams, flashbacks, negative thoughts, and hopelessness are also common. Experiencing PTSD triggers may cause the symptoms to become worse or reoccur frequently.
By isolating themselves, PTSD sufferers can avoid negative responses or continued efforts to explain feelings. Self-isolation may not be a conscious choice. As individuals struggle to deal with their feelings, being alone seems like the easiest option.
Intrusive memories
Recurrent, unwanted distressing memories of the traumatic event. Reliving the traumatic event as if it were happening again (flashbacks) Upsetting dreams or nightmares about the traumatic event. Severe emotional distress or physical reactions to something that reminds you of the traumatic event.
IRT is a well-researched type of therapy, and is highly recommended for PTSD-related nightmares. Talking Some psychologists believe that talking about your nightmares can put them into perspective (key to reducing the inevitable anxiety following nightmares).
In summary, PTSD nightmares differ from standard nightmares because the themes, or feelings are related to the traumatic experience. They have also started after the traumatic experience.
Another 20 to 25 percent of PTSD patients experience posttraumatic nightmares that are not an exact replay of a trauma memory, but are still often symbolically or indirectly related to the traumatic event (Wilmer, 1996).
Impact of nightmares
Trauma-related nightmares generally occur during REM sleep, which is when we tend to have vivid dreams. When you wake up from these nightmares, you may experience fear, anxiety, panic, distress, frustration, or sadness. You can also wake up soaked in sweat and with your heart pounding.
Can Nightmares Cause Trauma? Typically, it's trauma that causes nightmares, not the other way around. It is worth noting, though, that while nightmares may not lead to trauma, there's plenty of evidence to suggest that they're not without consequence.
Nightmares can arise for a number of reasons—stress, anxiety, irregular sleep, medications, mental health disorders—but perhaps the most studied cause is post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
One possible medical treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) nightmares is the drug prazosin. It can relax the muscles and reduce blood pressure and may decrease the number of nightmares a person has. PTSD can occur following a traumatic event.
In particular, nightmares can be an indicator of mental health problems, such as anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.