Nightmares can begin around the age of 3, but they typically become less common after the age of 10.Īdults report nightmares less frequently than children, but some people do have them often. A 2016 study of kindergarteners suggests children’s nightmares happen more frequently, and feel more distressing, than many parents realize. NightmaresĪs many as 75 percent of children say they’ve had at least one nightmare. Both are more prevalent in childhood than adulthood. Nightmares are much more common than night terrors. Drugs like lithium and sodium oxybate (Xyrem) can deepen your sleep and make night terror episodes more frequent. Restless leg syndrome, sleep apnea, or fever can interrupt deep sleep and throw your brain waves off-kilter. They may have night terrors, bouts of sleepwalking, or both. If you have night terrors, there’s a 96 percent chance a family member experiences similar concerns. The HLA-DQB1*05:01 allele shows up more frequently in people with sleep terrors. Several factors can predispose you to night terrors: But your conscious self will likely be “offline” and unaware of what’s going on. Your body can go from zero to 100, making your heart race and your muscles tense. When the brain waves clash, they may throw you into a half-awake state. People with frequent night terrors tend to have mismatched brain waves during this phase of sleep. This period is called slow-wave sleep since the waves of electrical activity in your brain are larger and slower than usual. Night terrors typically happen when you’re deeply asleep. These common antidepressants can help relieve symptoms of depression and anxiety. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).These medicines treat a range of conditions by mimicking the action of dopamine in your brain. These medicines treat high blood pressure and irregular heartbeat. MedicationĬertain medications can increase your chances of having nightmares. For example, a stubborn case of diaper rash may not seem like a big deal to adults, but to an infant or toddler experiencing pain for the first time, it can be traumatic in its own way. It simply needs to be unpleasant enough to cause a strong stress response. That experience doesn’t have to involve abuse, either. As an adult, your brain may be less efficient at controlling negative emotions while you sleep, leaving you prone to nightmares. If something bad happens to you, your brain may rush its development of your fear response.
Early childhood experiencesĪccording to the stress acceleration hypothesis, much of your brain remains under construction before the age of 3 and a half. They tend to be deeply disturbing and may sabotage your ability to sleep. These recurrent dreams force you to re-experience the trauma that caused your PTSD. Around half of people seeking treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have replicative nightmares. If you’re worried about drifting apart from old friends, you might dream of a flood literally sweeping you away from your community. Instead, it provides a simplified, symbolic representation. Your nightmare may not reflect the threat exactly. A common theory suggests nightmares are your brain’s way of rehearsing your responses to danger. Nightmares are dreams tainted by stress and trauma from the outside world. Several factors can contribute to nightmares, including: Stress and trauma Peak: Night terrors emerge at 18 months and prevalence decreases with age.
Prevalence: 56% of kids ages 13 and under have had night terrors at some point. Common themes include falling, being chased, or sensing an evil presence. Peak: Nightmares usually emerge at age 3 and peak between ages 6-10.Ĭontent: Easily remembered. Prevalence: 75% of kids have had at at least one nightmare. Some adults may have a vague recollection of feeling rushed or panicked, but no more. Prevalence: 1-2% have had night terrors at some point during adulthood.Ĭontent: Difficult to remember. Common themes include failure, helplessness, and interpersonal conflict. Around 35-45% of adults have at least one a month.Ĭontent: Easily remembered. Prevalence: Virtually all adults have had a nightmare in their lifetime. Waking: You’ll typically be difficult to wake and may be confused for several minutes.Īctivity: You might thrash, scream, or run out of bed. Sleep phase: NREM phase, usually during slow-wave sleep.Ĭommon cause: Disruption of brain waves during sleep. Timing: Usually in first third of the night.
Waking: You’ll typically wake on your own in a lucid state. Timing: Usually in the last third of the night.