What is night terrors

Sleepwalking and Sleep Terrors. Sulkes, Stephen Brian. Merck Manuals. Sleep Problems in Children. Merck Manuals Professional Edition. Learn more about Parasomnias.

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Usually this transition is a smooth one. But sometimes, a child becomes upset and frightened — and that fear reaction is a night terror. Night terrors usually happen in kids between 4 and 12 years old, but have been reported in babies as young as 18 months. They seem to be a little more common among boys.

A child might have a single night terror or several before they stop. Most of the time, night terrors simply disappear on their own as the nervous system matures. Night terrors can be very upsetting for parents, who might feel helpless when they can't comfort their child. The best way to handle a night terror is to wait it out patiently and make sure your child doesn't get hurt if thrashing around.

Keep a sleep diary, and note how often the terrors occur and what time they begin. If the night terrors are bothersome, and they come at a regular time, one suggestion is to wake your child 15 minutes before they are likely to occur, keep them awake for 5 minutes and then let them go back to sleep.

Night terrors are most common in children, but they can affect adults too. An adult can have night terrors at any time during the sleep cycle, and they are more likely to remember the dream than children are. Adults are more likely to have night terrors if they have a history of:. Sometimes, night terrors can lead to injury for the person or other people, especially if they thrash about or go sleepwalking as well.

An adult is more likely to display aggressive behavior than a child during night terrors. Adults can also become embarrassed about their sleep behavior, and this can affect relationships. To learn more about sleep, see our dedicated hub page. A lack of sleep can harm mental and physical health.

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During deep sleep, the body restores various functions, including energy and memory. There are several stages of sleep, and they are all important…. What are night terrors and why do they happen? Medically reviewed by Timothy J. Legg, Ph. Take your child to see your GP if they're having repeated nightmares a series of nightmares with a recurring theme. If your child's nightmares are being caused by a stressful past experience, they may need counselling. Nightmares and night terrors are usually associated with children, but they can sometimes also affect adults.

There are many possible causes of adult nightmares, but they're often linked to stress, trauma or an existing mental health condition. They can also occur after taking certain types of medication, such as antidepressants. Nightmares don't usually cause any physical harm, but they can be disturbing or upsetting. They may also prevent you getting a good night's sleep. See your GP if you're having regular nightmares that are affecting your sleep and day-to-day life. If your nightmares are caused by a particular traumatic event, your GP may recommend psychological treatment, such as counselling.

Page last reviewed: 10 August Next review due: 10 August Night terrors and nightmares. Night terrors are very different from nightmares. This behaviour occurs on waking abruptly from deep, non-dream sleep. Night terrors Night terrors are common in children aged between 3 and 8 years old.