Nocturnal seizures occur in a person while he is in a state of drowsiness or is sleeping. They can occur a few minutes after the person has slept or just before he is about to awake. They can even occur in a person, if he is sleeping during the day. People, who experience this, may be unaware that a seizure has occurred during their sleep. Occurrence of these seizures, can however, be identified by the headache, which the person may be experiencing when he wakes up from sleep or through some other out-of-the-way and destructive behavior that he might display during the day. They affect both, children as well as adults. Below are the causes as well as treatment options for this condition. 

Nocturnal seizures may occur if a person suffers from head injuries or trauma, caused due to an object hitting the head or, if the head has been bumped against a hard surface. It can even start years after the head injury has actually occurred.

Intake of alcohol in excess or other toxic substances, such as drugs may trigger an epileptic attack in the person too. Many times, it's been observed that people, who are trying to get rid of these toxic substances may experience seizures as a withdrawal symptom.

An infection of the brain is another reason behind a person experiencing this condition.

Presence of brain tumors

Problems with brain development before birth and certain hereditary conditions.

Lead poisoning, meningitis and encephalitis, are some other causes behind such epileptic seizures.

A rise in the temperature of the body or fever can cause these seizures in children. The ones which are caused due to fever in children are known as febrile seizures. It might be a temporary condition in children, and may not lead to epilepsy in them in their later life.

Although it is not confirmed, certain researches have shown that diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) vaccine could also be a possible cause of these seizures in children.