Does sleeping on your back cause nightmares?

While some people believe that their sleep position influences what they dream about, it is not a good reason to switch up your natural sleep position.

Nightmares are dreams with frightening or disturbing content that often wake the dreamer from sleep, and they can be caused by a variety of factors which includes:

Stress and anxiety: Daily stresses, major life changes, or anxiety can lead to nightmares. People experiencing chronic stress and anxiety may be more likely to develop nightmare disorder.

Trauma: Nightmares are common after accidents, injuries, physical or sexual abuse, or other traumatic events. People with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) often have frequent, intense nightmares.

Sleep deprivation: Changes in sleep schedules, irregular sleeping and waking times, or sleep disorders like insomnia can increase the risk of having nightmares.

Medications: Certain medications, such as antidepressants, blood pressure medications, beta blockers, and drugs used to treat Parkinson’s disease or to help stop smoking, can trigger nightmares.

Substance misuse: Alcohol and recreational drug use or withdrawal can trigger nightmares.

Nightmares can also be associated with other mental health disorders, such as depression, general anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia.

In some cases, nightmares may be caused by sleep disorders like sleep apnea or restless legs syndrome.