Nightmares can almost feel real at the moment, and wake a sleeper suddenly. Normally, a person has nothing to worry about from a nightmare. But a nightmare can prove an unsettling, if not downright frightening experience for a child.

A nightmare may be hard to avoid on a given night. Several factors, however, can spark the mind into nightmare mode. The Mayo Clinic offers a list of some key situations, experiences and conditions that can cause a nightmare:

• The ordinary stresses of daily life, such as a problem at home or school, or a move or the death of a loved one, can produce nightmares.

• A traumatic event, such as an accident or injury often lead to a nightmare.

• Taking in a horror movie or reading a scary book before bedtime can result in a scary mind seed that blossoms into a bad dream while a person is asleep.

• A bite to eat right before bed boosts the body’s metabolism and brain activity, and increases the chance of a nightmare.

• An illness accompanied by a fever can sometimes lead to nightmares.