Guide to Night Terrors: How to Curb Night Terrors in Kids

A night terror is a parasomnia disorder in which a person begins to scream, thrash, or kick while sleeping. Night terrors, also known as sleep terrors, commonly affect children between the ages of three and 12, though, in rare cases, adults may also experience episodes. During a night terror episode, individuals may appear confused or stare blankly, unresponsive to the presence of a parent, partner, or housemate who enters the room in response to their reaction. They may ignore attempts to console them, react with heightened fear that causes them to leave the bed, try to flee the room or house, or respond with aggression. In some cases, night terrors may also lead to sleepwalking, another form of parasomnia. Night terror symptoms include elevated heart rate, a sweaty or flushed appearance, heavy breathing, and dilated pupils.

Night terrors usually occur during the first three or four hours of the night during non-REM sleep, and rarely, if ever, during naps. These episodes typically last a few minutes but, in some cases, can last for up to 30 minutes or occur multiple times per night. Once the night terror has run its course, the person with the disorder often returns to a normal sleep pattern.

There is no single cause of night terrors, but studies have suggested a few possible reasons, including medical conditions, which potentially contribute to their occurrence.

1. 1. Genetics. According to multiple studies, genetics play a role in night terrors, though more research is needed to determine the exact factors. If there is a prevalence of night terrors or other parasomnias in a family—and in particular, in a parent or sibling—there is a chance that other family members may also experience them.
2. 2. Changes in sleeping patterns. Night terrors have been attributed to sleep deprivation or interrupted sleep, exhaustion or tiredness, and interruptions or changes to sleep schedules or sleep locations.
3. 3. Sleep disorders. People with obstructive respiratory conditions that interrupt or negatively impact sleep, such as sleep apnea or restless leg syndrome, are more likely to experience night terrors.
4. 4. Mental health issues. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, night terrors appear to occur in adults with a history of mental health disorders, including depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder.

Most preschoolers and older children outgrow night terrors and don’t require specific treatment. Here are some techniques that can help those who experience recurring night terrors:

• Create a relaxing sleep environment. Reducing or removing potential stressors from the sleeping environment can help stave off a night terror episode. Turn off electronic devices, reduce outside noise, and try a calming activity, like reading a book or bathing before bed, to promote relaxation.
• Get enough sleep. Maintaining a regular bedtime routine and consistent sleep schedule can help break a cycle of night terrors. Your body’s internal clock follows a specific sleep-wake cycle. Going to bed late one night and early the next throws your circadian rhythm off balance and results in fatigue, which can encourage night terrors. Creating and adhering to a consistent sleep schedule can restore order to your sleep-wake cycle and ward off the stress and exhaustion that can trigger night terrors.
• Track the pattern of the episodes. You can use a sleep diary to track the pattern of night terror episodes so that all household members can better understand when they might occur and how to handle them.

There are significant differences between night terrors and nightmare or bad dreams. They include:

• Timing. Night terrors usually occur during the first 90 minutes of sleep, when a person experiences the deepest stage of non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREM sleep), also known as slow-wave sleep or deep sleep. Nightmares take place during rapid-eye-movement sleep, or REM sleep, when dreams are more commonplace, and often during early morning hours.
• Consciousness and recollection. A person who has a night terror remains asleep during the entire experience and has little-to-no memory of it upon waking or the next day. Nightmares usually wake the sleeper and leave them with more recall of the images and sensations from the intense dream.

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