Sleeping Disorder Essay

Nightmare Disorder is a chronic sleep disorder. This disorder causes frequent nightmares and can lead to a fear of sleeping. Bad dreams are considered nightmares when they cause the person to wake up. About five percent of the population is affected by Nightmare Disorder. Either gender can be affected; neither is more prone to the disorder. Since this disorder is very broad, there are many different causes and symptoms. The DSM, Diagnostic and Statistic Manual for Mental Disorders, is used to classify the different disorders’ symptoms by relevancy. The DSM is updated every so often to incorporate new information (JBRF). According to the DSM IV, Nightmare Disorder is classified as repeated awakenings from sleep, rapid alertness after awakening, …show more content…
An elderly man went to the doctor after striking his wife in his sleep. She awakened him, and he remembered punching an attacker in his dream. The man had a history of sleeping and yelling in his sleep, but he had no history of gasping in his sleep. He had no history of depression or a family history of sleep disorders. The doctor discovered a shuffling gait, a resting tremor, and some cognitive rigidity. A sleep study was performed and no sleep apnea was present, but there was a marked increase in muscle tone in REM sleep. After further investigation, it was found that the nightmares were caused by Parkinson’s Disease …show more content…
Imagery Rehearsal Therapy is a technique that may be beneficial to some. IRT is when clients are taught to change their dreams by writing down alternative endings or writing new dreams, then thinking about them and rehearsing them during the day (Sibilia). Sometimes, people experience nightmares because of an underlying medical condition. In these cases, the underlying condition is treated. At times, this condition is treated as stress or anxiety as either may be a possibility. Medication is rarely used as treatment, but at times medication to reduce sleep awakenings are used