By Damilola Adeleke
About three-quarters of people experience the occasional nightmare, defined as a disturbing dream that causes the sleeper to wake up.
Bothersome dreams can spark negative feelings such as fear and helplessness. They can also cause sweating, increased heart rate and blood pressure, and other hallmark symptoms of the fight-or-flight response.
In many cases, nightmares are infrequent or go away on their own. However, because recurring nightmares can negatively impact sleep, you might hope to try to prevent them from happening. We examine the factors that can contribute to bad dreams and how to stop having nightmares and get better sleep.
Common Causes of Nightmares
Nightmares usually occur during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and do not have a single cause. Instead, many different triggers can induce troubling dreams.
Age: Frequent nightmares are fairly common in childhood. They can start in children who are just a few years old, usually peak during school age, and then often decrease in teenage years.
Stress: Stress and traumatic experiences are some of the main factors that can cause nightmares for both children and adults. In children, separation anxiety or simply a change in routine can be enough to trigger nightmares. Nightmares may be more common in girls, women, and people assigned female at birth.
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Mental health conditions: Mental health conditions that are linked to nightmares include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, schizophrenia, anxiety and panic disorders, and borderline personality disorder.
Medication: Certain beta blockers, stimulants, antidepressants, antibiotics, melatonin supplements, and other drugs can contribute to nightmares.
Nightmares may also occur after stopping the use of some medications including certain barbiturates, antidepressants, and benzodiazepines.
Withdrawal: Nightmares can occur after decreasing or stopping the use of alcohol and nicotine.
Withdrawal symptoms typically peak within one to three days but may persist longer for some people.
Eating right before bed: It is believed that eating too close to bedtime may increase the chances of having nightmares.
Illness: People with a fever are often more susceptible to nightmares.
Pregnancy: Stress about the baby and upcoming life changes frequently cause vivid dreams and nightmares for pregnant people.
Therapy to Manage Nightmares
Therapy is one of the main ways to address nightmares. Many of the approaches for nightmares are based in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT , which is intended to reframe the way a person feels, thinks, and acts to reduce symptoms and improve functioning.
A type of CBT that specifically focuses on sleep-related concerns is called CBT for insomnia (CBT-I). A CBT-I therapist may guide a person to restructure their sleep schedule and restrict negative stimuli in hopes of improving sleep and reducing nightmares.
Depending on the cause of a person’s nightmares, there are multiple methods for using therapy to decrease the chances of having bad dreams.
Psychotherapy For Nightmare Triggers
In nightmare-focused psychotherapy, a mental health professional helps a person work through sources of trauma or mental health issues that may be provoking nightmares. This includes empowering a person with techniques to recognize and address nightmare triggers.
Often, nightmares ease after treating accompanying mental health conditions like PTSD, anxiety, or depression. People who believe that they may have a mental health issue causing nightmares can ask their doctor for a referral to a mental health care provider.
Imagery Rehearsal Therapy for Nightmares
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends using imagery rehearsal therapy as a treatment for nightmare disorder, including nightmares related to PTSD. Image rehearsal therapy aims to reformulate the plot of a recurring dream to make it less disturbing.
Working with a therapist, the sleeper writes down the new and changed plot of the dream and rehearses it during the day. The goal is that the nightmare, if it recurs, will automatically follow the new, more agreeable form.
A related technique called exposure, relaxation, and rescripting therapy (ERRT) builds on image rehearsal therapy by adding progressive muscle relaxation, refinement of sleep habits, and other techniques to complement imagery rehearsal therapy.
Adeleke Damilola (ACTION) is a versatile content writer with expertise in news writing and a seasoned media professional and broadcast specialist. Currently serving as News Editor for DNews Info, Damilola is also the CEO of the ACTION brand, committed to shaping lives and establishing a legacy of excellence for present and future generations.
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