Soldiers returning home from duty often experience vivid dreams, night sweats, and other symptoms commonly classified as PTSD, but some argue that a newly named condition—trauma-associated sleep disorder—may be more accurate, reports The Atlantic.
People dealing with TSD have vivid nightmares and a myriad of other sleep problems, including insomnia, anxiety, night sweats, thrashing, screaming, kicking, and punching while asleep. They often act out their terrifying dreams.
This can get extreme. Some soldiers wake up from nightmares about pummeling the enemy to find they’ve hurt their bed partners. One study participant came in after his wife woke up with bruising and a black eye, explaining that he started screaming and attacking the wall while asleep. When she tried to stop him, he starting hitting her.
“She got caught in the crossfire,” he said.
