Combat Dreams Haunting Veterans Could Be A New Disorder

This report contains a case series of just four individuals, all of whom are men and all of whom are on the younger side," said Dr. Raj Dasgupta, a USC professor and Fellow of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. "We definitely need a broader study." He pointed out that several of the patients in the cases were on prescription medications and one had a history of alcoholism -- all of which complicates their diagnoses. Still, Dasgupta thinks that further study may confirm the idea of a veteran-specific sleep disorder. "We already know that war can literally change the brain, so I would not be surprised if active combat uniquely affects veterans' sleep," he said. Mysliwiec is grateful for the extent to which the military supports his research work, thanks to a renewed focus on sleep and wellness within the Army. Soldiers used to view sleep "the enemy of productivity, the enemy of vigilance, the enemy of being able to outlast our adversaries," Maj. Gen. David Wilmot, the Deputy Surgeon General for Army National Guard told the National Sleep Foundation in 2014. "People are more aware of sleep now, which is a good thing," Mysliwiec said. "The challenge is that, even if the culture changes, the Army's mission doesn't actually change. Combat is as stressful as ever. So when we try to square these two goals, we have to deal with the disorders that arise from the clash." -- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use...
Source: Science - The Huffington Post - Category: Science Source Type: news