mareritt

Mareritt is the Norwegian term for a nightmare, a distressing dream that typically leads to sudden waking, fear, anxiety, or a sense of threat. Unlike ordinary dreams, mareritts are vivid, memorable, and often cause lingering distress after waking, and they commonly occur during the rapid eye movement (REM) stage of sleep.

In clinical usage, recurrent distressing dreams that cause significant impairment may be described as Nightmare Disorder. This term distinguishes mareritt from non-distressing dreams and from other sleep phenomena, such as sleep terrors (pavor nocturnus), which involve arousal without defined dream content.

Causes and risk factors include psychological stress, trauma or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety and depression, irregular sleep, sleep deprivation, and certain medications or substances. Nightmares can also occur after major life events and during periods of grief or illness.

Symptoms typically include repeated episodes of frightening dreams, clear recollection of the dream content, and awakening with strong fear or alarm. The sleep disturbance can lead to daytime fatigue, concentration difficulties, and avoidance of going to bed.

Diagnosis is usually clinical, based on patient history, sometimes aided by a sleep diary. Treatments with the strongest evidence include Imagery Rehearsal Therapy (IRT) and other cognitive-behavioral approaches, along with good sleep hygiene. In PTSD-related nightmares, medications such as low-dose prazosin may be considered.

Etymology: The term mareritt is a compound rooted in Norwegian folklore, combining mara (a nightmare demon) and ritt (ride), reflecting the traditional idea of being ridden by a malevolent force during sleep.