DefinitionA nightmare is a dream that occurs during sleep that brings out strong feelings of fear, terror, distress, or anxiety. Nightmares usually happen in the second part of the night and wake up the sleeper, who is able to remember the content of the dream.See also:Generalized anxiety disorderNight terrorPost-traumatic stress disorderSleep disordersAlternative NamesDreams - bad; Bad dreamsConsiderationsNightmares tend to be more common among children and become less frequent toward adulthood. About 50% of adults have occasional nightmares, women more often than men.Common CausesAnxiety and stress are the most common causes of nightmares. A major life event occurs before the nightmare in some cases.Other causes of nightmares include:Abrupt alcohol withdrawalBreathing disorder in sleep (