Nightmare disorder

Clinical features

• This is the occurrence of frightening dreams
• The dreams are related to anxiety, anger, or disgust
• They awaken the subject from sleep
• They are associated with prolonged awakenings
• They usually occur in the second half of sleep
• The subjects have detailed recollections of the dreams
• It is more frequent in women

Drug triggers

Other triggers

Treatment

References

1. Fleetham JA, Fleming JA. Parasomnias. CMAJ 2014; 186:E273-E280. 
2. Hasler B, Germain A. Correlates and treatments of nightmares in adults. Sleep Med Clin 2009; 4:507-517.
3. Pagel JF. Nightmares and disorders of dreaming. Am Fam Physician 2000; 61:2037-2042, 2044.

Related checklists

• Sleep-related eating disorder (SRED)
• Isolated sleep paralysis
• Sleep-related hallucinations
• Sleep groaning (catathrenia)
• Sleep bruxism
• Exploding head syndrome (EHS)
• Agrypnia excitata