BOO! It’s getting late in October, which means that Halloween is almost upon us! Soon we’ll be surrounded by spooky ghosts, jack-o-lanterns, and blood-sucking vampires. But if you find yourself dreaming about creepy critters or things that go bump in the dark, you might not be so excited about the Halloween spirit.

If you suffer from bad dreams, you’re not in the minority! Nightmares affect almost everyone: 85% of adults and even a greater proportion of children. Let’s take a look at the causes of nightmares and what you can do to overcome them for a restful night’s sleep.

What is a nightmare?

The most basic definition is a scary dream. They tend to be extremely vivid and occur during REM—rapid eye movement—sleep. Because we reach our deepest REM sleep later in the night, nightmares tend to occur in the early morning. Some common nightmares include falling from a great height, trying to run away from a threat, or even showing up to school or work in your underwear!

Why do we have nightmares?

The simplest answer is that nightmares are normal! The vast majority of adults experience them from time to time, with up to 30% reporting nightmares once a month. However, there are some specific factors that can make you more prone to having one.

Nightmares don’t have to be the result of a scary experience or a late-night horror movie. In fact, they can come about from something much more mundane—like that piece of pumpkin pie you had for a midnight snack!  Eating raises body temperature and increases metabolism, which in turn leads to greater brain activity during REM sleep—which leads to more dreams! Spicy and junk foods are particularly egregious. Certain drugs that change the chemical balance in the brain, like narcotics and anti-depressants, as well as alcohol, can invoke nightmares.

Sleep disorders like restless leg syndrome and sleep apnea can also contribute to nightmares. 

Probably the most intuitive cause is traumatic real-life experiences, like an attack or relationship trouble. People with post-traumatic stress disorder frequently suffer from nightmares. However, more common stress-inducing factors like day-to-day anxiety or sleep deprivation can also sneak into your sleep.  

How can I deal with my dreams?

In most cases, there’s no need to take intensive action if you have a nightmare, nor any magic way to recover from one. If you wake up after having a frightening dream, the first thing to do is to acclimate yourself to your surroundings and remind yourself that the dream was not real. Turn on some lights if possible and try to calm down by listening to some soothing music. Talking about your dream or writing down what happened might help give you more insight into what caused it and come to terms with it. If you can, try to go back to sleep. If you are too anxious to nod off again, it is probably better to get up and walk around for a half hour or so until you feel more relaxed.

If your child has a nightmare, it is important to console him or her. Start by listening to them describe the dream and trying to understand what frightened them; then, explain that the dream was not real and help them understand that they are not in danger. Some precautions that can help prevent bad dreams are putting a night light in your child’s bedroom or giving them a “security object”, such as a blanket, to comfort them while they sleep.

Finally, doctors estimate that about 5% of the population actually suffers from chronic, clinical nightmares. If you experience frequent or recurring nightmares that are impairing your nightly sleep or your ability to interact in society, consider seeing a sleep specialist or a physician to talk about the issue.

What do you do to get over the shock of a nightmare? Let us know in the comments!

Resources: National Sleep Foundation, WebMD, Mental Floss, Huffington Post

Photo Credit: A. Pagliaricci