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What Causes Nightmares in Adults? Nightmares in adults are often spontaneous. But they can also be caused by a variety of factors and underlying disorders.
You can have nightmares for all kinds of reasons, including anxiety, sleep deprivation, drug and alcohol use, and medical conditions like obstructive sleep apnea and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Nightmares can also be a side effect of certain medications. But why? That part is less clear.
Nightmares can affect anyone, and when frequent, can harm sleep and daily life. Learn about nightmares, their causes, & how to reduce them.
Nightmare disorder may cause: Excessive daytime sleepiness, which can lead to difficulties at school or work, or problems with everyday tasks, such as driving and concentrating. Problems with mood, such as depression or anxiety from dreams that continue to bother you.
Disturbing dreams can interfere with healthy sleep, which can lead to problems with emotion regulation and overall mental and physical health. Nightmares can increase anxiety and distress and impair daytime functioning. Research shows they are also associated with an increased risk of suicide.
Researchers don’t know what exactly causes nightmares and nightmare disorder, but they have multiple theories. One theory is that nightmare disorder may be influenced by increased hyperarousal that builds during the day and remains at night.
Parasomnias involve patterns of sleep disturbances featuring unusual behaviors, emotions, or perceptions. They affect how well you fall asleep, stay asleep, or wake up from sleep. It’s estimated...
They may cause fear and anxiety during your waking hours as you replay the events of the dream in your mind’s eye throughout the day. While many adults may have the occasional...
Nightmares can be triggered by a variety of factors, including: scary movies, books, or videogames. snacking just before bedtime. illness or fever. medications, including antidepressants,...
A person with nightmare disorder has recurring nightmares that affect their daily functioning and cause distress. According to the DSM-5, nightmares are defined as disturbing or distressing dreams that occur during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and usually involve: