Skip to main content
Log in

Albträume: Ätiologie, Prävalenzen, gesundheitliche Folgen und Behandlungsansätze

Nightmares: etiology, prevalence, health consequences and treatment approaches

  • Schwerpunkt
  • Published:
Somnologie - Schlafforschung und Schlafmedizin Aims and scope Submit manuscript

A Correction to this article was published on 07 December 2017

This article has been updated

Zusammenfassung

Albträume gehören zu den Parasomnien und sind damit als Schlafstörung gelistet. Beginnt man sich näher mit dem Thema zu beschäftigen, erkennt man, dass es verschiedene Formen von Albträumen gibt, die möglicherweise mit unterschiedlichen Beschwerdebildern verbunden sind. Die aktuelle Sichtweise, die allerdings im Fluss ist, wird zu zeichnen versucht. Des Weiteren werden die möglichen Ursachen für Albträume besprochen und die Behandlungsansätze von Albträumen, soweit Behandlungsbedarf besteht.

Abstract

Nightmares are a type of parasomnia and are therefore listed as a sleep disorder. Taking a closer look at nightmares, it becomes obvious that there are several kinds of nightmares, different qualities of nightmares, probably causing different symptoms and probably from different (neuro)physiological origins. We try to describe the current approach, which is still in a state of flux, to different kinds of nightmares. In this overview article we also discuss the possible causes of nightmares and ways of treating nightmares if treatment is needed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Abb. 1

Change history

  • 07 December 2017

    Correction:

Literatur

  1. American Academy of SleepMedicine, Darien IL (2014) International Classification of Sleep Disorders, 3. Aufl.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Das AWMF (2009) Nicht erholsamer Schlaf/Schlafstörungen. Somnologie 13:4–160

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Dilling H, Mombour W, Schmidt MH, WHO (1993) Internationale Klassifikation psychischer Störungen. ICD 10:F51.5

    Google Scholar 

  4. American Psychiatric Association (2013) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. DSM V:307.47

    Google Scholar 

  5. Clarenbach P (Hrsg) (1991) Schering Lexikon Schlafmedizin. MMW Medizin Verlag, München

    Google Scholar 

  6. Nielsen T, Levin R (2007) Nightmares: a new neurocognitive model. Sleep Med Rev 11(4):295–310

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Levin R (1994) Sleep and dreaming characteristics of frequent nightmare subjects in a university population. Dreaming 4(2):127

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Hartmann E (1984) The nightmare: the psychology and biology of terrifying dreams. Basic Books, New York

    Google Scholar 

  9. Dilling H, Mombour W, Schmidt MH, WHO (1993) Internationale Klassifikation psychischer Störungen. ICD 10:F51.4

    Google Scholar 

  10. Kuiken D, Lee MN, Eng TC, Singh T (2006) The influence of impactful dreams on self-perceptual depth and spiritual transformation. Dreaming 16:258–279

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Arenson, Kenneth (1990) Metaliteral dreaming: a right hemisphere dominant linguistic activity. Psychiatr J Fre Ott 15(2):100–106

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Andrillon T, Nir Y, Cirelli C, Tononi G, Fried I (2015) Single-neuron activity and eye movements during human REM sleep and awake vision. Nat Commun 6. (Article number: 7884) doi:10.1038/ncomms8884

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  13. Holzinger B (2013) Albträume: was sie uns sagen und wie wir sie verändern können. Langen Mueller Herbig, München

    Google Scholar 

  14. Germain A, Nielsen TA, Zadra A, Montplaisir J (2000) The prevalence of typical dream themes challenges the specificity of the threat simulation theory. Behav Brain Sci 23(06):940–941

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Schredl M, Pallmer R (2012) Alpträume bei Kindern. Praxis der Kinderpsychologie und Kinderpsychiatrie 46(1)

    Google Scholar 

  16. Kales JD, Healey S (1979) Prevalence of sleep disorders in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. Am J Psychiatry 36(10):1257–1262

    Google Scholar 

  17. Pietrowsky R (2011) Alpträume Fortschritte der Psychotherapie, Bd. 46. Hogrefe, Göttingen

    Google Scholar 

  18. Belicki K, Cuddy MA (1991) Nightmares: Facts, fictions and future directions. In: Gackenbach J, Sheikh AA (Hrsg) Dream images: a call to mental arms. Amityville, NY: Baywood, S 99–115

    Google Scholar 

  19. Bixler EO, Kales A, Soldatos CR (1979) Sleep disorders encountered in medical practice. Beh Med 6:1–6

    Google Scholar 

  20. Cirignotta F, Zucconi M, Mondini S, Lenzi PL, Lugaresi E (1983) Enuresis, sleepwalking, and nightmares: an epidemiological survey in the Republic of San Marino. In: Guilleminault C, Lugaresi E (Hrsg) Sleep/wake disorder: natural history, epidemiology, and long- term evolution. Raven Press, New York, S 237–241

    Google Scholar 

  21. Hochstrasser B (1993) Epidemiology of sleep disorders. Revue Ther 50(10):679–683

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Ohayon MM, Morselli PL, Guilleminault C (1997) Prevalence of nightmares and their relationship to psychopathology and daytime functioning in insomnia subjects. Sleep 20(5):340–348

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Partinen M, Hubin C (2000) Epidemiology of sleep disorders. In: Kryger MH, Roth T, Dement WC (Hrsg) Principles and practice in sleep medicine. WB Saunders, Philadelphia

    Google Scholar 

  24. Schredl M, Fricke-Oerkermann L, Mitschke A, Wiater A, Lehmkuhl G (2009) Longitudinal study of nightmares in children: stability and effect of emotional symptoms. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 40(3):439–449

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Petit D, Touchette É, Tremblay RE, Boivin M, Montplaisir J (2007) Dyssomnias and parasomnias in early childhood. Pediatrics 119(5):e1016–e1025

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Nevsimalova S, Prihodova I, Kemlink D, Skibova J (2013) Childhood parasomnia–a disorder of sleep maturation. Eur J Paediatr Neurol 17(6):615–619

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Holzinger B (2015) The power of gaze. Vortrag der IASDconference. Virginia Beach (in press)

    Google Scholar 

  28. Spoormaker VI, Schredl M, van den Bout J (2006) Nightmares: from anxiety symptom to sleep disorder. Sleep Med Rev 10(1):19–31

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Hublin C, Kaprio J, Partinen M, Koskenvuo M (1999) Nightmares: familial aggregation and association with psychiatric disorders in a nationwide twin cohort. Am J Med Genet 88(4):329–336

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Blagrove M, Farmer L, Williams E (2004) The relationship of nightmare frequency and nightmare distress to well‐being. J Sleep Res 13(2):129–136

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Lara-Carrasco J, Simard V, Saint-Onge K, Lamoureux-Tremblay V, Nielsen T (2013) Maternal representations in the dreams of pregnant women: a prospective comparative study. Front Psychol 4:551

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  32. Li SX, Yu MWM, Lam SP, Zhang J, Li AM, Lai KYC, Wing YK (2011) Frequent nightmares in children: familial aggregation and associations with parent-reported behavioral and mood problems. Sleep 34(4):487

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  33. Nielsen T (2010) Nightmares associated with the eveningness chronotype. J Biol Rhythm 25(1):53–62

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Tanskanen A, Tuomilehto J, Viinamäki H, Vartiainen E, Lehtonen J, Puska P (2001) Nightmares as predictors of suicide. Sleep 24(7):844–847

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Köthe M, Pietrowsky R (2001) Behavioral effects of nightmares and their correlations to personality patterns. Dreaming 11(1):43

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Krakow B, Zadra A (2006) Clinical management of chronic nightmares: imagery rehearsal therapy. Behav Sleep Med 4(1):45–70

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Krakow B, Sandoval D, Schrader R, Keuhne B, Mcbride L, Yau CL, Tandberg D (2001) Treatment of chronic nightmares in adjudicated adolescent girls in a residential facility. J Adolesc Health 29(2):94–100

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Aurora RN, Zak RS, Auerbach SH, Casey KR, Chowduri S, Krippot A, Maganti RK, Ramar K, Kristo DA, Bista SR, Lamm CI, Morgenthaler TI (2010) Best practice guide for the treatment of nightmare disorder in adults. J Clin Sleep Med 6(4):389–401

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  39. Holzinger B, Klösch G, Saletu B (2015) Studies with lucid dreaming as add‐on therapy to Gestalt therapy. Acta Neurol Scand 131(6):355–363

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Holzinger B (2014) Lucid Dreaming in Psychotherapy. Lucid Dreaming: New Perspectives on Consciousness in Sleep. Praeger, Westport

    Google Scholar 

  41. Davis JL, Wright DC (2007) Randomized clinical trial for treatment of chronic nightmares in trauma‐exposed adults. J Trauma Stress 20(2):123–133

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Miller WR, DiPilato M (1983) Treatment of nightmares via relaxation and desensitization: a controlled evaluation. J Consult Clin Psychol 51(6):870

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Holzinger B, Klösch G (2013) Schlafcoaching, wer wach sein will muss schlafen. Goldegg, Wien

    Google Scholar 

  44. Pagel JF, Helfter P (2003) Drug induced nightmares-an etiology based review. Hum Psychopharmacol 18(1):59–67

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. J F Pagel MD, University of Colorado Medical School, Pueblo, Colorado (2000) Nightmares and disorders of dreaming. Am Fam Physician 61(7):2037–2042

    Google Scholar 

  46. Nadorff MR, Nadorff DK, Germain A (2015) Nightmares: Under-Reported, Undetected, and Therefore Untreated. J Clin Sleep Med 11(7):747–750

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  47. Holzinger B (2014) Der luzide Traum, 3. Aufl. Facultas, Wien

    Google Scholar 

  48. Holzinger B (2012) Aspects terapeuticos dos sonhos. In: Paiva T, Tufik S, Andersen M, Lidel (Hrsg) O, sono e a medicina do sono

    Google Scholar 

  49. Holzinger B (2007) Anleitung zum Träumen. Klett-Cotta, Stuttgart

    Google Scholar 

  50. Schredl M (2008) Snoring, breathing pauses, and Nightmares, Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim. Percept Mot Skill 106(3):690–692

    Article  Google Scholar 

  51. Norra C, Richter N (2013) Sleep disturbances and suicidality: relationships and clinical implications. Fortschr Neurol Psychiatr 81(10):561–569

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  52. Betthauser K, Pilz J, Vollmer LE, August (2015) Use and effects of cannabinoids in military veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder. Am J Health Syst Pharm 72(15):1279–1284

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  53. Nagy T, Salavecz G, Simor P, Purebl G, Bódizs R, Dockray S, Steptoe A (2015) Frequent nightmares are associated with blunted cortisol awakening response in women. Physiol Behav 147:233–237

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  54. Fisher HL, Lereya ST, Thompson A, Lewis G, Zammit S, Wolke D (2014) Childhood parasomnias and psychotic experiences at age 12 years in a United Kingdom birth cohort. Sleep 37(3):475–482

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  55. Levin R, Nielsen TA (2007) Disturbed dreaming, posttraumatic stress disorder, and affect distress: a review and neurocognitive model. Psychol Bull 133(3):482

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  56. Nielsen T, Levin R (2007) Nightmares: a new neurocognitive model. Sleep Med Rev 11(4):295–310

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Brigitte Holzinger.

Ethics declarations

Interessenkonflikt

B. Holzinger gibt an, dass kein Interessenkonflikt besteht.

Dieser Beitrag beinhaltet keine Studien an Menschen oder Tieren.

Additional information

A correction to this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1007/s11818-017-0146-0.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Holzinger, B. Albträume: Ätiologie, Prävalenzen, gesundheitliche Folgen und Behandlungsansätze. Somnologie 19, 233–240 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11818-015-0026-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11818-015-0026-4

Schlüsselwörter

Keywords

Navigation