Gotten from: https://myhealthetic.com/2020/03/01/nightmares-may-start-in-children-between-the-ages-of-3-and-6-and-tend-to-drop-after-10-years-of-age/

Nightmares according to webmd are vividly realistic, disturbing dreams that rattle you awake from a deep sleep

Nightmares are usually a common phenomenon.They are disturbing dreams that are associated with negative feelings, such as fear or anxiety.

Nightmares or bad dreams are usually common in kids especially below 16 years of age, but can also occur at any age.

Nightmares may start in children between the ages of 3 and 6, and tend to drop after 10 years of age. During the teenage and young adult years, female children appear to have more nightmares than male kids do.

Some adults too have nightmares and in few cases, persists throughout their lives. Although nightmares are quite frequent, the disorder is relatively rare.

Nightmare disorder is diagnosed when nightmares happen frequently, disrupts sleep, causes distress, causes problems with daytime functioning, or trigger fear of going to sleep leading to insomnia.

Symptoms of Nightmare

One is more likely to suffer a nightmare in the second half of their night. Nightmares are unpredictable, and may rarely occur or happen more frequently, even occur several times a night.

Episodes of nightmares are generally brief, but they cause a person to awaken in shock and find it difficult to return to sleep.

Causes of Nightmares
Nightmares in adults are often spontaneous. But they can also be caused by a variety of factors and underlying disorders.



Late night Snacks
Nightmares in some people can occur after having a late-night snack, which can increase metabolism and signal the brain to be more active.

Medications
Certain medications are also known to contribute to nightmare frequency. Drugs that act on chemicals in the brain, such as antidepressants and narcotics, are often associated with nightmares. Non-psychological medications, including some blood pressure medications, can also cause nightmares in adults.


Substance abuse
The use of alcohol and other recreational drugs or withdrawal (withdrawal syndrome) can cause nightmares.

Drug withdrawal
Withdrawal from medications or substances like alcohol and tranquilizers, may trigger nightmares.

Scary media books or movies
Reading scary books or watching horror movies, especially before going to bed, can be associated with nightmares.

Sleep deprivation
This may also contribute to adult nightmares, which themselves often cause people to lose additional sleep