Know the medications that can cause nightmares

SEE BELOW ON THIS PAGE FOR A LIST OF SUPPLEMENTS AND VITAMINS 

NOTE: TAKING THESE MEDICATIONS AND 

WITHDRAWING FROM THESE MEDICATIONS CAN CAUSE NIGHTMARES

Here are some of the key categories and specific drugs that have been linked to nightmares:

1. Antidepressants: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) often alter the balance of neurotransmitters, leading to reduced REM sleep and an increase in vivid dreams and nightmares. Common examples include:
   
   • Fluoxetine (Prozac)
   • Sertraline (Zoloft)
   • Venlafaxine (Effexor)

1. Beta Blockers: These medications, often used to treat hypertension and cardiovascular conditions, can cause nightmares by affecting norepinephrine signaling. Examples include:
   
   • Propranolol (Inderal)
   • Metoprolol (Lopressor)
   • Atenolol (Tenormin)

1. Statins: Used to lower cholesterol, some statins can cross the blood-brain barrier and affect neurotransmitter function, potentially leading to nightmares. Examples include:
   
   • Simvastatin (Zocor)
   • Atorvastatin (Lipitor)
   • Rosuvastatin (Crestor)

1. Stimulants: Medications that increase dopamine levels can disrupt sleep and cause nightmares. These are often prescribed for ADHD and narcolepsy, such as:
   
   • Methylphenidate (Ritalin)
   • Amphetamine/dextroamphetamine (Adderall)

1. Antibiotics: Certain antibiotics can cause vivid dreams and nightmares as side effects. Examples include:
   
   • Ciprofloxacin (Cipro)
   • Levofloxacin (Levaquin)

1. Antihistamines: While often used to treat allergies, some antihistamines can cause nightmares, particularly first-generation antihistamines like:
   
   • Diphenhydramine (Benadryl)
   • Chlorpheniramine (Chlor-Trimeton)

1. Other Medications:
   
   • Melatonin supplements can occasionally cause vivid dreams or nightmares.
   • Steroids such as prednisone can lead to sleep disturbances and nightmares.
   • Barbiturates and benzodiazepines can cause REM rebound nightmares during withdrawal periods.

The timing of when you take these medications can influence the likelihood and intensity of nightmares:

Evening or Nighttime Dosing: Taking medications that affect the central nervous system close to bedtime can increase the risk of nightmares. This is because these drugs are at peak levels in your system during sleep, directly influencing your sleep stages and dream activity. For instance, beta-blockers and certain antidepressants taken at night may heighten the chances of experiencing vivid dreams or nightmares.

Morning or Daytime Dosing: Shifting the administration of these medications to earlier in the day can help reduce their impact on sleep. By allowing more time for the drug's effects to wane before bedtime, you might experience fewer disturbances during sleep. This can be particularly beneficial for medications with a shorter half-life.

 Consistency and Routine: Maintaining a consistent routine for taking medications can help stabilize their effects on your body and minimize disruptions to your sleep patterns. Abrupt changes in medication timing or dosage can lead to increased side effects, including nightmares. 

Abilify (Aripiprazole)

Aldomet (Methyldopa)

Alprazolam (Xanax)

Albuterol (Proventil, Ventolin)

Amantadine (Symmetrel)

Amitriptyline (Elavil)

Amlodipine (Norvasc)

Amobarbital Sodium Injection (Amytal Sodium)

Atenolol (Tenormin)

Atorvastatin (Lipitor)

Atropine; Hyoscyamine; Phenobarbital; Scopolamine (Donnatal)

Axert (Almotriptan)

Biaxin (Clarithromycin)

Bisoprolol (Zebeta)

Brilinta (Ticagrelor)

Bromocriptine (Parlodel)

BuSpar (Buspirone)

Carbidopa; Levodopa (Sinemet)

Carbidopa; Levodopa; Entacapone (Stalevo)

Carvedilol (Coreg)

Celexa (Citalopram)

Cetirizine (Zyrtec)

Cinobac (Cinoxacin)

Cipro (Ciprofloxacin)

Citalopram (Celexa)

Clarithromycin (Biaxin)

Clonazepam (Klonopin)

Clonidine (Catapres)

Clozaril (Clozapine)

Coreg (Carvedilol)

Corgard (Nadolol)

Crestor (Rosuvastatin)

Cymbalta (Duloxetine)

Dalmane (Flurazepam)

Darunavir (Prezista)

Desyrel (Trazodone)

Diazepam (Valium)

Donnatal (Atropine; Hyoscyamine; Phenobarbital; Scopolamine)

Dopar, Larodopa (Levodopa)

Doxepin (Silenor)

Dronabinol, THC (Marinol)

Droperidol (Inapsine)

Duloxetine (Cymbalta)

Efavirenz (Sustiva)

Efavirenz; Emtricitabine; Tenofovir (Atripla)

Elavil (Amitriptyline)

Enalapril, Enalaprilat (Vasotec)

Escitalopram (Lexapro)

Ethosuximide (Zarontin)

Etravirine (Intelence)

Factive (Gemifloxacin)

Fenfluramine (Pondimin)

Flurazepam (Dalmane)

Gabapentin (Neurontin)

Gatifloxacin (Tequin)

Gemifloxacin (Factive)

Halcion (Triazolam)

Hetlioz LQ (Tasimelteon Oral Suspension)

Hydrochlorothiazide, HCTZ; Metoprolol (Lopressor HCT)

Hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil)

Inapsine (Droperidol)

Inderal (Propranolol)

Intelence (Etravirine)

Invega (Paliperidone)

Ketalar (Ketamine)

Klonopin (Clonazepam)

Lariam (Mefloquine)

Latanoprost; Timolol (Xalacom)

Levatol (Penbutolol)

Levaquin (Levofloxacin)

Levodopa (Dopar, Larodopa)

Lexapro (Escitalopram)

Lipitor (Atorvastatin)

Lopressor, Toprol XL (Metoprolol)

Lopressor HCT (Hydrochlorothiazide, HCTZ; Metoprolol)

Lorazepam (Ativan)

Luminal (Phenobarbital)

Lyrica (Pregabalin)

Marinol (Dronabinol, THC)

Matulane (Procarbazine)

Mebaral (Mephobarbital)

Mefloquine (Lariam)

Melatonin

Metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol XL)

Midazolam (Versed)

Mirapex (Pramipexole)

Moxifloxacin (Avelox)

Mysoline (Primidone)

Nadolol (Corgard)

Naltrexone (Revia, Vivitrol)

Neurontin (Gabapentin)

Norvasc (Amlodipine)

Paliperidone (Invega)

Parlodel (Bromocriptine)

Penbutolol (Levatol)

Peramivir (Rapivab)

Phenobarbital (Luminal)

Phenergan (Promethazine)

Pindolol (Visken)

Plaquenil (Hydroxychloroquine)

Pondimin (Fenfluramine)

Pramipexole (Mirapex)

Prezista (Darunavir)

Primidone (Mysoline)

Procarbazine (Matulane)

Propranolol (Inderal)

Proventil, Ventolin (Albuterol)

Quetiapine (Seroquel)

Rapivab (Peramivir)

Requip (Ropinirole Hcl)

Restoril (Temazepam)

Revia, Vivitrol (Naltrexone)

Rivaroxaban (Xarelto)

Ropinirole Hcl (Requip)

Rosuvastatin (Crestor)

Rythmol (Propafenone)

Seroquel (Quetiapine)

Serax (Oxazepam)

Silenor (Doxepin)

Sinemet (Carbidopa; Levodopa)

Sodium Oxybate (Xyrem)

Sparfloxacin (Zagam)

Stalevo (Carbidopa; Levodopa; Entacapone)

Sustiva (Efavirenz)

Symmetrel (Amantadine)

Tamiflu (Oseltamivir)

Tasimelteon Oral Suspension (Hetlioz LQ)

Tenormin (Atenolol)

Tequin (Gatifloxacin)

Timolol (Timoptic)

Timoptic (Timolol)

Trazodone (Desyrel)

Triazolam (Halcion)

Trimipramine (Surmontil)

Trovan (Trovafloxacin, Alatrofloxacin)

Trovafloxacin, Alatrofloxacin (Trovan)

Valium (Diazepam)

Varenicline (Chantix)

Vasotec (Enalapril, Enalaprilat)

Versed (Midazolam)

Viibryd (Vilazodone)

Visken (Pindolol)

Xalacom (Latanoprost; Timolol)

Xanax (Alprazolam)

Xarelto (Rivaroxaban)

Xyrem (Sodium Oxybate)

Zagam (Sparfloxacin)

Zanamivir (Relenza)

Zarontin (Ethosuximide)

Zebeta (Bisoprolol)

Zolpidem (Ambien)

Zoloft (Sertraline)

Zyrtec (Cetirizine)

Antimicrobials – Certain antimicrobials have also been implicated in nightmare generation, possibly through modulation of sleep-regulating inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-1B, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, prostaglandin E2. Examples include ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, efavirenz, ganciclovir, and mefloquine.

  If you find a medication on this list that you take, speak to your doctor about either discontinuing it (if it’s no longer necessary) or switching to a different medication that allows you to have a restful night’s sleep. 

For more information see licensed pharmacist Suzy Cohen https://suzycohen.com/articles/bad-dreams/

• Melatonin: Though often used to aid sleep, melatonin can sometimes cause vivid dreams or nightmares in certain individuals. Melatonin is also thought to be helpful for nightmares so just see what works for you.
• Vitamin B6: High doses of Vitamin B6 have been linked to more vivid and memorable dreams, which can sometimes manifest as nightmares.
• St. John’s Wort: This herbal remedy, often used for depression, can increase the likelihood of experiencing vivid dreams and nightmares.
• Valerian Root: Used as a sleep aid, valerian root can occasionally lead to more intense dreams or nightmares.
• Ginkgo Biloba: Known for its cognitive benefits, ginkgo biloba may also cause vivid dreams and nightmares in some users.
• Passionflower: While it can promote relaxation and sleep, passionflower has been reported to sometimes cause vivid dreams or nightmares.
• 5-HTP (5-Hydroxytryptophan): This supplement, which increases serotonin levels, can lead to more vivid dreams, including nightmares.
• Mugwort: Often used in traditional medicine to enhance dreams, mugwort can sometimes lead to nightmares.
• Chamomile: Typically used for its calming effects, chamomile can occasionally cause vivid dreams or nightmares in sensitive individuals.

COMMON OVER THE COUNTER SLEEP INGREDIENTS

• Function: Antihistamine that induces drowsiness by blocking histamine receptors in the brain.
• Effect on Nightmares: While effective for promoting sleep, some users report an increase in vivid dreams and nightmares. Diphenhydramine may affect REM sleep, potentially leading to more frequent or intense nightmares in some individuals.

• Function: Another antihistamine that induces sleepiness by inhibiting histamine action.
• Effect on Nightmares: Similar to diphenhydramine, doxylamine can lead to increased vivid dreams and nightmares. It may disrupt normal sleep architecture, affecting REM sleep where nightmares occur.

These side effects can vary widely among individuals, and not everyone taking these medications will experience nightmares. If you are experiencing frequent nightmares and suspect your medication may be the cause, consult your healthcare provider.