Frequent Childhood Nightmares Linked to Increased Risk of Developing Psychotic Traits

Kids experience nightmares and frightening dreams from time to time. But those who have frequent nightmares may suffer from an elevated risk of psychotic experiences, according to a latest study.

The latest report documented in the journal SLEEP reveals that kids who have frequent nightmares or short periods of night terrors before age 12 are three and half times more likely to suffer from psychotic traits in early adolescence. These nightmares double the risk of hallucinations or delusions.

Children, aged between two and nine, who often experienced frightening dreams, were one and half times more likely to develop psychotic traits.

Professor Dieter Wolke said in a statement, "We certainly don't want to worry parents with this news; three in every four children experience nightmares at this young age. However, nightmares over a prolonged period or bouts of night terrors that persist into adolescence can be an early indicator of something more significant in later life."

Waking up partially with panic or fear is known as a night terror. It is different from a nightmare. A night terror occurs during deep sleep cycles in the first half of the night. Nightmares, on the other hand, are usually a product of a vivid imagination.

The researchers used a birth cohort study based in South West England, the Avon Longitudinal study of Parents and Children for the current research. The group was evaluated six times between ages two and nine. The probability of experiencing psychotic traits during adolescence heightened with the frequency of nightmares.

There was a 16 percent rise in the incidence of nightmares among those who experienced a period of recurrent nightmares. There was a 56 percent rise in risk of developing psychotic traits among kids with three or more continuous periods of nightmares.

The researchers didn't find any association between sleep walking and psychotic traits in early adolescence.

When the kids reached the age of 12, nearly one in four kids from the study group reported having experienced nightmares in previous six months, and less than one in ten had episodes of night terrors during the same period.

Lucie Russell, Director of Campaigns at YoungMinds, said, "This is a very important study because anything that we can do to promote early identification of signs of mental illness is vital to help the thousands of children that suffer. Early intervention is crucial to help avoid children suffering entrenched mental illness when they reach adulthood."

Dr Helen Fisher of King's College London says it is best to maintain a healthy lifestyle that promotes healthy sleep habits in children. Diet is one of the most important factors. It is best to avoid sugary drinks before bed. When the kid is young, parents should make sure to remove any affecting stimuli from his/her bedroom, be it television or videogames.