What Causes Nightmares?

Certain Medications

Specific medications are known to cause frequent nightmares in adults, such as antidepressants and narcotics, that can alter the brain’s chemicals. Blood pressure medications and other non-psychological medications can also cause recurring nightmares in adults as well due to how they affect the body and interact with the brain’s chemicals and nerves. Withdrawal from medications, such as antidepressants and sleeping pills, and some substances can also induce nightmares, therefore, if a patient notices a difference in their nightmare frequency after changing or stopping their medication altogether, they should consult their doctor.

Keep reading to learn how nightmares can affect your mental and physical health.

How Does It Affect Health?

Nightmares that begin to affect your mental and physical health transition to more than just a bad dream, but to an actual health concern that needs to be addressed promptly. For those who experience nightmares, individuals who are dealing with anxiety or depression are more likely to become distressed about their nightmares and experience even more negative psychological side effects than before. Sleep deprivation, which can be caused by nightmares, can also lead to a whole host of medical problems, such as heart disease, obesity, and depression, as well as untreated sleep apnea and PTSD, can lead to further conditions to develop as a result of nightmares.

Although rare, if nightmares recur enough for some individuals, it can develop into “nightmare disorder,” which is defined by The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Disorders as “repeated awakenings with recollection of terrifying dreams, usually involving threats to survival, safety, or physical integrity." There is no denying that recurring nightmares can cause fatigue, and fatigue can lead to numerous health consequences such as interfering with our family and social life, as well as our work performance. The flip side of nightmares is that recent research has discovered that nightmares may be helpful in getting us to move past a traumatic event, as a nightmare can be an emotional release from built-up anxiety and stress.