What Causes Nightmares?

Restless Legs Syndrome

Restless legs syndrome affects the quality of sleep and also increases the occurrence of nightmares. It's a neurological disorder that causes affected individuals to feel a strong compulsion to move their legs. It also causes a burning sensation and itchiness in the legs. These symptoms are often at their worst during the night while lying down, which makes it difficult to sleep through the night. Severe cases of restless legs syndrome may cause a drastic reduction in the number of hours worth of sleep a patient can achieve per night. The condition mainly affects the middle-aged population. Women and individuals with a family history have an increased risk of developing the condition. People with restless legs syndrome are more vulnerable to anxiety or depression, which can compound sleep problems and nightmares. The condition, thankfully, can be managed with medication and lifestyle changes.

Discover another sleep disorder that can trigger nightmares now.

Sleep Apnea

Sleeping disorders, such as restless leg syndrome and sleep apnea, have been known to trigger nightmares in patients due to the disruption or altering of sleep patterns these conditions cause. Sleep apnea is a serious sleeping disorder that occurs when an individual’s breathing is interrupted during sleep and can cause some individuals to stop breathing multiple times within one night, even hundreds of times if it is left untreated. This can result in the brain and body not receiving enough oxygen, which can trigger a nightmare to occur.

There are two types of sleep apnea: obstructive and central. Obstructive sleep apnea is the more common type and it is caused by a blockage in the airway, usually when the soft tissue in the back of the throat begins to close or collapses while a person is sleeping. Central sleep apnea is when the brain fails to signal the muscles to breathe due to instability in the respiratory control center, and has nothing to do with blocked airways. Unfortunately, if sleep apnea is left untreated, it can lead to numerous health risks, such as headaches, depression, high blood pressure, worsening ADHD symptoms, diabetes, stroke, and cardiovascular problems such as heart failure, irregular heartbeats, and heart attacks.

Next, find out which medications can cause nightmares to occur.