Polygraphic sleep recordings were made and dream reports collected over
3 consecutive nights for 12 asthmatic subjects with nocturnal attacks and
12 matched normal control subjects. The asthmatic group 1) had more
episodes of a vivid impression of dreaming without recollection of dream
content ("white dreams") after awakening spontaneously in the morning
(nights 1 and 2) and after awakening immediately following REM sleep (night
3), 2) used shorter sentences in dream narrations, and 3) had no dream
recall when awakened during nocturnal asthma attacks. The authors suggest
that conflictual material emerging during REM or other sleep stages may
contribute to the occurrence of nocturnal attacks but is repressed on
awakening.Abstract Teaser