Practice of Visual Mental Rehearsal (VMR) – a method aimed at managing disturbing dreams and nightmares by training individuals to replace them with less distressing ones.
Nightmares, those vivid, realistic, and disturbing dreams involving threats to survival or security, can cause anxiety, fear, or terror, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. These unsettling dreams can disrupt sleep and affect daily life, leading to feelings of fatigue and increased stress.
Fortunately, there is a solution: Imagery Rehearsal Therapy (IRT), a brief, evidence-based cognitive behavioral therapy. IRT is designed to reduce bad dreams and improve sleep quality without focusing on the traumatic content of nightmares.
How Does Imagery Rehearsal Therapy Work?
IRT involves three stages: assessment, imagery rescripting, and rehearsal and follow-up. During the assessment stage, your therapist will evaluate your nightmares and their impact on your life. In the imagery rescripting stage, you pick one less intense nightmare to work with and focus on practicing one new dream at a time. The rehearsal and follow-up stage involves repeating the new dream during waking hours to reinforce the positive changes.
The number of sessions and other IRT variables will differ based on each person's situation, condition, nightmare complexity, and intensity.
Benefits of Imagery Rehearsal Therapy
IRT has been shown to reduce the frequency of nightmares, lessen distress caused by them, and improve sleep quality. Better sleep can also produce other benefits, such as less anxiety and more daytime energy.
Moreover, IRT has been effective in reducing the frequency of nightmares in adults, helping them to rescript and rehearse altered, less distressing versions of their nightmares during waking hours.
Another key aspect of IRT is untying your identity from your nightmares. As nightmares can impact your entire life, this can be a significant step towards regaining control and improving overall well-being.
Finding an Imagery Rehearsal Therapy Specialist
IRT is not widely available, but you can start your search by asking your doctor or a loved one to recommend therapists who specialize in trauma, nightmares, or sleep. Another option is to search online at the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies.
When interviewing potential IRT therapists, ask about their experience with imagery rehearsal therapy, working with people with trauma, treating nightmares, and their perspective on nightmares and how to reduce them.
Effectiveness of Imagery Rehearsal Therapy
Studies have shown that IRT reduces disturbing dreams, PTSD symptoms, and anxiety in people with PTSD. In one study, IRT was tested in 20 people with difficult-to-treat co-occurring conditions in a psychiatric hospital, finding that they had fewer, less intense nightmares and better quality sleep.
Another study on imagery rescripting, a piece of IRT, found that it reduced the frequency and distress of nightmares for people with nightmare disorder, and these effects lasted 3 and 6 months later.
In essence, Imagery Rehearsal Therapy aims to help you get a good night's sleep and manage fears about going to sleep, how often you wake up at night, and restlessness during sleep. By creating new dreams with positive, pleasant, or empowering images, you can reduce nightmares and improve your overall quality of life.
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