More than 1,600 members of the PTSD community on have reported experiencing severe nightmares, and there are dozens of forum threads tagged with topic. So, we took a deeper dive into PTSD nightmares and some of the research-backed approaches you can try to help manage them.
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How common are nightmares after trauma?
The quick answer: Very common.
Why do PTSD nightmares happen?
Scientists have been studying dreams for years, but they still don’t fully understand how or why we dream.
Matthew Walker, a psychology researcher at the University of California, Berkeley, has one theory. Walker found that during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, the chemistry of the brain actually changes. Levels of norepinephrine — a kind of adrenaline — drop out completely. REM sleep is the only time of day when this happens. In people not living with PTSD, REM sleep is kind of like therapy; it’s an adrenaline-free environment where the brain can process its memories while stripping away the emotional edges.
Walker’s theory suggests that in people with PTSD, REM sleep is broken. The adrenaline doesn’t go away like it’s supposed to. The brain can’t process tough memories, so it just cycles through them, again and again. This theory is being put to the test: The VA is currently running several clinical trials on prazosin, a drug that lowers sensitivity to adrenaline. Check out this page to see if there’s a trial in your area.
Treatments for PTSD nightmares
Here are 5 common treatments members of the PatientsLikeMe PTSD community have tried in order to manage insomnia :
Interested in finding out more about what other people living with PTSD are trying in order to manage their condition? Join PatientsLikeMe and become part of a community of others like you.