How to comfort your child when they have night terrors

Has your toddler or toddler waking up crying or distressed, and you don’t know why or can’t calm them down quickly? It can be scary and leave you feeling powerless if your little one has had night terrors before. It may be a dramatic awakening, or your child may be distressed or disturbed and have difficulty calming down. Although they are both associated with sleep, a night terror is not the same as a nightmare. There are things you can do to comfort your child after a nightmare or even prevent it, but the same cannot be said for night terrors. We’ll explore the differences and some coping strategies when your baby wakes up screaming from nighttime fears.

Night terrors, sometimes called sleep terrors, are an actual sleep disorder and part of a class of sleep disorders called “parasomnias.”^1.2 It typically occurs in the first few hours of sleep and occurs during NREM (non-rapid eye movement) sleep. It can last up to 10 minutes and triggers feelings of panic and despair.²

Night terrors most commonly occur in children between the ages of 4 and 12; However, their frequency usually decreases as children get older.³ If your child finds out about this, he or she will wake up frightened and may scream, shout, and move, but he will also notice things like an increased heart rate, faster breathing, and sweating.⁴ They may even move around and engage with you, but they don’t have a dream and don’t actually talk to you. After the night terror, your child will seemingly fall back asleep and not remember anything in the morning.

Although they sound like nightmares, night terrors are completely different. As mentioned earlier, it is a formal sleep disorder that occurs in NREM sleep, whereas a nightmare is a dream that causes big feelings or an emotional reaction. Nightmares also occur in another phase of sleep—rapid eye movement (REM) sleep—and tend to occur later in the night.⁵

Night terrors in children are something that just happens, but many things can influence nightmares. For example, they may experience changes or stress (e.g., moving to a new house, the birth of a new sibling, starting school, etc.) or they may see something on television or in a book that scares them.⁶ Nightmares can even be influenced Fear or worries; These include normal fears that arise throughout the day, such as seeing a spider or having to talk in class. A nightmare can be a normal way for children to process and sort through things that are happening in their world.⁷

In most cases, you have no control over night terrors, and there is evidence that night terrors are genetic (that is, they can be passed down in families).^8th Some research suggests that certain health conditions such as nocturnal asthma, reflux, or certain medications may also have some influence.^8th Finally, general health may also play a role, as night terrors are more common in people who don’t eat properly or sleep well.⁹

It’s important to know that even though they may look upset or distressed, they aren’t having a nightmare and aren’t reacting to things around them (and won’t remember things the next morning), so you can’t comfort them per se. However, there are some things you can do to help your child with night terrors, including:^9.10

• Don’t wake her up: This can increase confusion or cause disorientation or stress, and your child won’t remember it the next day anyway. Let her sleep and it will be over much quicker.
• Protect her: Make sure you don’t put them in danger when they move. They might stay nearby and monitor them or move things that could cause them to trip or pose other hazards. You can also lock the front door and remove any sharp objects that could accidentally injure you.
• Take her back to bed: Try to wait for them to calm down or, if possible, guide them back to bed. Don’t try to talk or negotiate with them; They may look awake and responsive, but they are not truly “awake” or present and will not understand what you are trying to do.

It’s a bit of a waiting game, as most children outgrow night terrors without intervention or support.¹¹ It is important to make sure they are safe during a night terror and that you do not wake them. However, the most effective treatment is to help your child improve his sleep. You might look for possible causes, such as health problems, diet, or sleep quality, and see if you can make adjustments. For example, establishing a good nighttime routine and making sure you don’t watch TV or drink sugary, caffeinated drinks right before bed will help you sleep better.¹¹

If you are concerned about your child’s nighttime fears, it is important to seek the support of your doctor or other trusted healthcare professional. You could arrange a sleep study to find out exactly what’s happening, or even explore medication options (medications aren’t often prescribed for night terrors, however).

We cannot prevent night terrors, especially if they are genetic. However, you can help your child get a good night’s sleep by making sure there are no underlying medical concerns and developing strategies to improve their sleep quality.

Remember that night terrors can be a normal part of development and occur in healthy, happy children. Still, night terrors and nightmares can be scary (for our little people and for us). Although nighttime fears may not harm our children, it is important to address them and discuss your child’s experiences with a pediatrician or your primary care provider.