Night Terrors: What They Are, Why They Happen & How to Help Your Child

If your little one suddenly wakes up in the night screaming, looking confused, and can't be calmed down, it might not be a simple bad dream. Instead, it could be a night terror - a sleep disturbance that seems dramatic but usually isn't as bad as it looks.

Want to know more about how to spot the signs, what's behind them, and practical tips to help? Keep reading for expert advice and tips you can actually use.

What Are Night Terrors?

Night terrors are a form of parasomnia — that's just a fancy name for things that disturb your child's sleep, like sleepwalking or talking in their sleep. They're not that common, but they're most often seen in toddlers or kids just starting school.

Night terrors mean your child suddenly gets really scared, cries, screams, or moves about wildly in bed. Even though they might look wide awake and frightened, they're actually not fully conscious. And unlike with nightmares, they probably won't remember a thing the next day.

Watching your child go through a night terror can be really unnerving, but honestly, it isn't nearly as harmful as it appears. The good news is, when it's all over, your child will usually just drift back off as if nothing happened and have no memory of it at all.

Night terrors are rare and generally not a cause for concern.

What Causes Night Terrors?

Unlike nightmares, night terrors in toddlers aren’t typically associated with emotional feelings or stress. Rather, night terrors can happen for a few different reasons and typically occur during non-dreaming sleep stage; they often take place within 90 minutes of falling asleep and may last up to 15 minutes.

According to experts, these are some factors that could increase the likelihood of a night terror occurring:

• Transitioning to the next stage in a sleep cycle

• A family history of night terrors or sleepwalking

• Your child being overtired or not getting enough sleep

• Your child being ill with a fever

• Your child taking a new medication

• Your child feeling anxious or excited

• Something that wakes your toddler abruptly, such as a loud noise or a full bladder.

Sleep Stages and Cycles

During sleep, children as well as adults go through several sleep cycles composed of different stages. In most of the cycles, a child is switching back and forth between non-REM sleep and REM sleep, which is when active dreaming occurs.

The ratio of non-REM to REM sleep will vary over the course of the night. The first stage of REM sleep is short but will get longer as the night progresses, while non-REM sleep stages will get progressively shorter.

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Are Night Terrors in Toddlers a Sign of Mental Illness?

Night terrors in toddlers are generally not a signal of mental illness. Children often outgrow them, and they’re pretty rare overall. Although night terrors can look dramatic, they generally aren't harmful and don't mean there are any long-term emotional issues.

If your child’s behaviour or sleep worries you, or something just doesn’t seem right, it's always best to get advice from a healthcare professional.

Treatment may be needed if night terrors:

• cause a safety risk

• interfere with their sleep

• aren’t going away in time

• happen more often than usual.

Watching how your little one grows and develops is an important part of parenthood. Keep track of their progress with our Baby Development Milestones.

Signs and Symptoms of Night Terrors in Babies and Toddlers

It's totally normal to wonder, 'What do night terrors look like'? so you can better identify them and get to grips with your child's sleep patterns. Seeing a night terror for the first time can be pretty shocking. They usually start out of nowhere, and although they look intense, your little one's not really awake and won't remember any of it.

If your child is having a night terror, you might notice some common signs and symptoms. For example, your toddler might:

• Scream or shout out in distress

• Thrash around

• Act upset, scared or panicked

• Have their eyes open but not be fully awake

• Not recognise you

• Speak indistinctively

• Jump out of bed

• Have no memory of the episode once awake.

If you’re sleeping in separate rooms or happen to be a deep sleeper, you may not even notice that your child is having a night terror, unless you’re woken by the sounds of screaming or thrashing around.

At What Age Can Night Terrors Occur?

Night terrors are especially common in children between the ages of 3 and 8 years old, when children are still learning their own sleep rhythms. Children often outgrow them by mid to late teens.

Of course, every child is unique. Some might only go through a couple of episodes, while others may have them for a little while in bursts. If you're not sure what’s going on or if night terrors are concerning you, contact your child's GP.

The Difference Between a Night Terror and a Nightmare

If you want to know how night terrors and nightmares stack up, check out this table below:

Remedies for Night Terrors in Toddlers

Night terrors can be upsetting for you as the parent, so it’s natural to seek treatment. However, the best way to handle an episode is to simply wait it out and make sure your little one doesn’t hurt themself if thrashing around.

Avoid waking your child up from a night terror. If your child does wake up, they may be confused and take longer to settle down and fall asleep again. Children usually fall asleep on their own after night terrors and won’t have any memory of the episode at all.

Although there is no treatment for night terrors, here are a few things that might help prevent some of them:

• Try to reduce any stress in your child's life

• Try a few tips to help your child sleep, such as creating a simple and relaxing bedtime routine

• Make sure your little one gets enough rest, and don’t let them get overtired or stay up too late

• Try to put your child to bed earlier than usual if they’re overtired by bedtime or if it’s been a very tiring day

• If your child is experiencing night terrors around the same time each night, try waking them up about 15 minutes beforehand for seven days – this could break the pattern without impacting sleep.

When to See Your Child’s GP

Most night terrors don’t need any special treatment, but every so often, it’s worth having a word with your child's GP.

You should get in touch if:

• Night terrors are happening a lot (several nights a week)

• You or your child aren't getting enough good sleep

• There's a chance your child could get hurt during a night terror

• Episodes often crop up in the second half of the night

• Each episode is very short—less than one minute

• Your child has other symptoms like snoring, mouth breathing, or excessive daytime sleepiness.

The Bottom Line

Night terrors in toddlers can be scary for you, and you might feel helpless and worried about what’s happening to your child. The good news is that these sleep disturbances are harmless and your little one will eventually grow out of them.

Unlike nightmares or bad dreams, which can leave your child feeling anxious or scared, kids don’t remember night terrors once they wake up. During an episode, don’t try to wake your child; they’ll settle down and fall back to sleep on their own.

Creating a calming bedtime routine and ensuring your child isn’t overtired could help prevent some episodes. If you’re worried about regular night terrors, you can always consult your doctor for advice, just to be on the safe side.

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