Nightmares and Drugs - connection of nightmare incidence and medication use in children

Pediatrics for Parents, July, 1999

Nightmares are common among children. Defined as nighttime episodes of intense anxiety and fear associated with a vivid, emotionally charged dream experience, nightmares usually occur during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and are usually remembered. They often occur in reaction to stress.

Night terrors are different from nightmares. During a night terror the intensity of talking, cries, yells, etc. are greater than with nightmares. In addition, the child moves about a lot more than with a nightmare, and sounds and appears more anxious and fearful than with a nightmare. Night terrors occur during non-REM sleep and frequently are not remembered by the child.

Certain drugs are known to increase the incidence of nightmare. These include sedatives, beta-blockers (a class of heart medicine), and amphetamines. It's rare for a child to take any of these drugs. Other drugs don't increase the chances of nightmare or night terrors.

Annals of Pharmacology, 1/99, pp. 93-98.