Open AccessThe Many Faces of Sleep Disorders in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: An Update on Clinical Features and Treatment
Author(s) -
Franziska C. Weber,
Thomas C. Wetter
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
neuropsychobiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.71
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1423-0224
pISSN - 0302-282X
DOI - 10.1159/000517329
Subject(s) - insomnia , anxiety , comorbidity , psychological intervention , psychiatry , psychology , sleep disorder , sleep (system call) , traumatic stress , anxiety disorder , clinical psychology , medicine , computer science , operating system
Sleep disorders and nightmares are core symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The relationship seems to be bidirectional, and persistent disturbed sleep may influence the course of the disorder. With regard to sleep quality, insomnia and nocturnal anxiety symptoms, as well as nightmares and stressful dreams, are the most prominent sleep symptoms. Polysomnographic measurements reveal alterations of the sleep architecture and fragmentation of rapid eye movement sleep. In addition, sleep disorders, such as sleep-related breathing disorders and parasomnias are frequent comorbid conditions. The complex etiology and symptomatology of trauma-related sleep disorders with frequent psychiatric comorbidity require the application of multimodal treatment concepts, including psychological and pharmacological interventions. However, there is little empirical evidence on the effectiveness of long-term drug treatment for insomnia and nightmares. For nondrug interventions, challenges arise from the current lack of PTSD-treatment concepts integrating sleep- and trauma-focused therapies. Effective therapy for sleep disturbances may consequently also improve well-being during the day and probably even the course of PTSD. Whether early sleep interventions exert a preventive effect on the development of PTSD remains to be clarified in future studies.