Nightmares

Description

A nightmare is a frightening dream that wakes a person up. It leaves the person feeling scared, upset or anxious. Nightmares can happen at any age.

Overview

Nightmares are common and tend to occur during the second half of the night. They may start in children between 3 and 6 years old. They tend to become less common with age.

Symptoms

Nightmares generally are brief, but they cause people to wake up. Dreams can seem real and be upsetting. Getting back to sleep can be hard.

Treatment

Occasional nightmares aren't usually a concern. See a healthcare provider if nightmares occur a lot and continue over time, routinely disrupt sleep or cause fear of going to sleep. Also see a healthcare provider if nightmares cause daytime behavior problems or make it hard to do daily activities. The healthcare provider can do an exam, discuss symptoms and possibly suggest an overnight sleep study.