Nightmare Disorder

Seventy-five percent of the general population can remember at least one nightmare from their childhood. Nightmares are parasomnias that occur during a specific sleep stage. According to the most recent Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), nightmares are typically lengthy, storylike sequences of dream imagery that appear real and induce anxiety, fear, or other dysphoric emotions.

Parasomnias are categorized as sleep disorders that involve disturbances in falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking from sleep. Behaviors, emotions, movements, or dreams that occur beyond the norms of sleep parameters may be involved. Beyond nightmares, other parasomnias include confusional arousal, hallucinations, rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder, and sleep terrors, which are often confused with nightmares. Lifetime prevalence rates in the general population ...

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