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Dream recall frequency, nightmare frequency, attitude towards dreams, and other dream variables in patients with sleep-related breathing disorders

Traumerinnerungshäufigkeit, Alptraumhäufigkeit, Einstellung zu Träumen und andere Traumvariablen bei Patienten mit schlafbezogenen Atemregulationsstörungen

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Abstract

Background and objectives

Sleep and dreaming are inseparable. Therefore, this study addressed the question of whether the presence of specific sleep disorders affects dreaming.

Materials and methods

The present study included 1467 patients with sleep-related breathing disorders who completed a dream questionnaire.

Results

Dream life in these patients differed from control samples, most notably in heightened dream recall frequency, nightmare frequency, and frequency of sharing dreams. On the other hand, the positive attitude towards dreams and nightmare distress were rated lower by the patient group.

Conclusion

The findings indicate that sleep physiology, e. g., arousals terminating sleep apneas, might affect the dreaming process. In addition, future studies should also take into account the daytime distress associated with having a severe sleep disorder, as distress might have an effect on dream content and nightmare frequency.

Zusammenfassung

Hintergrund und Fragestellung

Schlaf und Traum sind untrennbar miteinander verbunden, sodass die Frage entsteht, ob das Vorliegen einer spezifischen Schlafstörung das Träumen beeinflusst.

Material und Methoden

In die vorliegende Studie wurden 1467 Patienten mit schlafbezogenen Atemregulationsstörungen einbezogen, die einen Traumfragebogen ausfüllten.

Ergebnisse

Das Traumerleben in diesen Patienten unterschied sich von Kontrollstichproben, v. a. in einer erhöhten Traumerinnerungshäufigkeit, Albtraumhäufigkeit und Häufigkeit, mit der Träume erzählt werden. Auf der anderen Seite wurden die Einstellung zu Träumen weniger positiv und der Stress durch Albträume als weniger stark von den Patienten eingeschätzt.

Schlussfolgerung

Die Ergebnisse weisen darauf hin, dass die veränderte Schlafphysiologie, z. B. Arousals, die eine Apnoephase beenden, das Träumen beeinflussen können. Zusätzlich sollten künftige Studien die Belastung am Tage durch die Schlafstörung miteinbeziehen, da diese Belastung wahrscheinlich einen starken Effekt auf den Trauminhalt und die Albtraumhäufigkeit hat.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty, Mannheim/Heidelberg University, Postfach 122120, 68072, Mannheim, Germany

    Michael Schredl

  2. Theresienkrankenhaus, Mannheim, Germany

    Judith Schmitt

Authors
  1. Michael Schredl
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  2. Judith Schmitt
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AG Traum der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Schlafforschung und Schlafmedizin (DGSM)

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Michael Schredl.

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Conflict of interest

M. Schredl and J. Schmitt declare that they have no competing interests.

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants or on human tissue were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1975 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Schredl, M., Schmitt, J. & AG Traum der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Schlafforschung und Schlafmedizin (DGSM). Dream recall frequency, nightmare frequency, attitude towards dreams, and other dream variables in patients with sleep-related breathing disorders. Somnologie 23, 109–115 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11818-019-0199-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11818-019-0199-3

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