The nighttime episodes can look terrifying, but for most children, night terrors are a temporary sleep phenomenon that parents can learn to manage.
If your child suddenly screams, cries, sits upright or thrashes around while seemingly still asleep, you may be witnessing a night terror, rather than a nightmare. The episodes typically happen during deep, non-REM sleep, usually a few hours after bedtime, and can be especially frightening because the child may appear awake but be difficult—or impossible—to comfort.
Night terrors aren’t particularly rare: up to 7% of children between ages 1 and 12 experience them. They are most common in younger children and generally disappear as children get older, meaning that a terrifying episode doesn’t necessarily signal that anything is seriously wrong.
What Causes a Night Terror?
Unlike nightmares, which occur during REM sleep and are often remembered, night terrors happen when a child’s brain is caught somewhere between deep sleep and wakefulness. Cleveland Clinic notes that children between 3 and 7 are particularly susceptible, and episodes can involve screaming, sweating, rapid breathing, a racing heart and even getting out of bed.
There isn’t one single cause, but several factors can make night terrors more likely, including sleep deprivation, stress, fever, irregular sleep schedules and obstructive sleep apnea. Genetics can also play a role, and researchers have found connections between night terrors and other parasomnias, such as sleepwalking.
What Can Parents Do?
The hardest advice for many parents is also among the most important: don’t try to wake your child during an episode. Instead, focus on keeping them physically safe, quietly guiding them away from stairs or dangerous objects if necessary, and allowing the episode to end naturally.
Parents can also reduce the likelihood of night terrors by protecting their child’s sleep schedule and making sure they’re getting enough age-appropriate sleep. Research on sleep terrors has found that they are generally benign childhood parasomnias, while the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia recommends maintaining consistent sleep habits and reassuring parents that these episodes are usually outgrown.
If episodes become frequent, cause injuries, significantly disrupt sleep or continue well beyond the typical childhood years, it’s worth discussing them with your child’s pediatrician or a sleep specialist. For most families, however, the combination of safety, consistency and patience is the best response to an unsettling—but usually temporary—part of childhood.
