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Doctor warns of dangers posed by nightmare disorder

To most people, a good night's sleep is something to look forward to after a day of hard work.

But for a woman surnamed Lee, 30, who wished to be identified only by her last name, sleep is something she fears.

For about six months, Lee has been haunted by nightmare after nightmare each night when she goes to sleep.

She also experiences night sweats and occasional cramps in her calves while sleeping. What's worse, when she wakes up, she can remember every detail of her nightmares. The sight of her own bed frightens her, and she has lost 10kg within a short period of time.

"I can't tell whether it [the nightmare] is real or merely a dream and it feels like I am actually dieing," Lee said. "I dare not fall asleep and I leave the lights on all night to keep myself awake."

Lee suffers from nightmare disorder, a syndrome which afflicts between four percent and eight percent of all patients with sleeping disorders, according to Yang Tsung-tsai (楊聰財), a doctor at Cardinal Tien Hospital in Sindian, Taipei County.

"Patients [afflicted by nightmare disorder] are awakened by nightmares at least three nights every week," he said at a press conference held to address the issue.

Yang said the causes of the nightmares vary from stressful events in daily life to traumatic experiences such as sexual abuse or the death of a family member.

Yang warned that some people with nightmare disorder risked contracting epilepsy. In tests, Yang was able to detect abnormalities in the electrical discharges taking place in the brains of two of his nightmare disorder patients. He has recommended that they take anti-epileptic medication.

Yang added that patients seeking treatment for nightmare disorder could be given sleeping pills or sedatives or undergo psychological therapy, depending on the severity of their symptoms.
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