It’s common to wake up from a disturbing dream now and then. But what if these vivid, terrifying dreams start occurring frequently, waking you up gasping for breath, drenched in sweat, afraid to go back to sleep? When nightmares stop being an occasional event and start disrupting your daily functioning, they may point to a treatable condition: Nightmare Disorder.

What Is Nightmare Disorder?

Nightmare disorder is a recognized sleep condition, classified under REM sleep parasomnias in the International Classification of Sleep Disorders, Third Edition (ICSD-3). It’s more than just bad dreams — it’s a pattern of repeated, vivid dreams that are intensely dysphoric and often involve threats to survival, security, or physical integrity.

To meet diagnostic criteria, these nightmares must:

• Occur frequently and be clearly remembered

• Cause the person to wake up quickly and become fully alert

• Lead to significant distress or impairment in daily life — such as mood changes, fear of sleep, daytime fatigue, or interpersonal difficulties

How Common Is It?

Nightmare disorder affects approximately 4% of adults. While anyone can experience nightmares, they are more common and severe in people with psychiatric conditions like PTSD, depression, or borderline personality disorder. Interestingly, nightmares can persist even after PTSD is treated — making them a unique clinical target.

The Hidden Toll of Nightmares

Frequent nightmares can erode quality of life. They may:

• Cause people to avoid sleep, leading to sleep deprivation

• Intensify existing mental health issues

• Create a vicious cycle of fear, fatigue, and emotional dysregulation

Patients who receive appropriate treatment often report improved sleep quality, reduced daytime sleepiness, and a restored sense of peace. Nightmares, though terrifying, are not irreversible — and relief is possible.

About the Author

Dr. Srinivas Rajkumar T
Consultant Psychiatrist
Apollo Clinics – Velachery & Tambaram, Chennai
📞 Phone: 8595155808
🌐 Website: www.srinivasaiims.com
🧠 Specialist in sleep disturbances, trauma recovery, and emotional wellness