title: Sleep diaries of Vietnam War veterans with chronic PTSD: the relationships among insomnia symptoms, psychosocial stress, and nightmares.
abstract: Impaired sleep and nightmares are known symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the veteran population. In order to assess prospectively the sleep disturbances in this population, sleep diaries are an effective way to obtain information over an extended period of time. In this investigation, a sample of veterans (N = 105) completed daily sleep diaries for a 6-week period. Greater PTSD severity and nightmare-related distress were correlated with more awakenings, shorter duration of sleep, longer sleep latency, and greater frequency of nightmares. Perceived frequency of daytime stressors was associated with an increased number of nightmares, nightmare-related distress, and longer sleep latency. The use of sleep diaries in future investigations may allow targeted treatments for veteran populations with PTSD and sleep disturbances.
authors.affiliation: a Philadelphia Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
authors.forename: Philip R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Gehrman
authors.forename: Gerlinde C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Harb
authors.forename: Joan M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.forename: Holly
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Barilla
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Ross
mesh_terms: D004325:Dreams / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D057566:Self Report; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D013997:Time Factors; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology*; D014744:Vietnam; D014857:Warfare