Night terrors, in a word, are… terrifying! Night terrors are a sleep disorder that can occur at all ages but are most common in children. Night terrors are classified as a parasomnia, which is a term used to describe unusual experiences people have while falling asleep or during sleep. Other parasomnia experiences include things like sleepwalking and recurrent sleep paralysis. Someone experiencing a night terror will scream, flail their limbs, and thrash around. The crazy thing is, it all happens while asleep. The person experiencing the night terror will have no recollection of the incident in the morning.
As a parent, it can be terrifying to watch your child go through a night terror. Unfortunately, waking up a child in the middle of a night terror can be dangerous and is not recommended. Instead of waking the child, gently direct the child back to bed. Intervening during a night terror can increase the duration and intensity of the terror.
Night terrors can be caused by genetics or sleep disorders like obstructive sleep apnea. The key to diagnosing and treating night terrors is to find the root cause of the problem and developing a successful treatment plan.
Night Terrors vs. Nightmares
Everyone has nightmares! These bad dreams can seem so real and terrifying that you might wake up still scared and convinced your dream was real. While both night terrors and nightmares happen while you sleep, they occur during different stages of sleep. Night terrors occur in Slow Wave Sleep, so they typically happen “lick clockwork” within the first 3 hours of sleep. Nightmares occur in REM or Dream Sleep and typically occur in the latter part of sleep.
Symptoms of the two are also different. Night terrors usually start with a blood-curdling scream and have physical reactions such as limbs flailing. Unlike a nightmare, there is usually no recollection of a night terror.
People have nightmares their entire life, but night terrors are more common in childhood. According to the Sleep Foundation, night terrors generally emerge between ages 4 and 12 and often resolve by puberty.
What Happens During a Night Terror?
Night terrors look different depending on the person and the night, but in all cases, the person cannot control their actions as they are still asleep. Someone might flail their limbs, hit with their fists, run around the house, scream, or experience full-on panic. Often the person will sweat, look flushed, and have dilated pupils. They usually will appear very frightened.
For somebody watching, the experience is terrifying. The concern is always that the person will hurt themselves or hurt someone else.
If you are a parent, it can be tempting to awaken your child from their night terror to comfort them. While this may seem like a good idea, it is not. Waking a child up during a night terror can increase the chance of injury. It can also make the child extremely disoriented and give them trouble falling back asleep.
What is the Cause of Night Terrors?
Night terrors can be genetic. If there is a family history of night terrors, a child is more likely to have them. Night terrors also can occur with other sleep disorders, like obstructive sleep apnea or restless leg syndrome. They can also be caused by psychological issues like fear, anxiety, PTSD, etc. In some cases, night terrors are brought on by fevers, migraines, and head injuries.
In adults, night terrors can be caused by alcohol use. There are even certain medications that cause night terrors. Part of the goal when seeing a sleep specialist is to find the root cause of the night terror. Finding the root cause makes it easier to create a successful treatment plan. For example, night terrors caused by sleep apnea will be treated differently than night terrors caused by an anxiety disorder.
When Do Night Terrors Become Problematic?
Night terrors become a problem when they occur frequently. The Sleep Foundation says that night terrors are an issue when they happen two or more times per week. The Sleep Foundation also states that night terrors are problematic when they cause injuries, disrupted sleep, and are accompanied by sleepwalking.
Night terrors can be a normal physiologic occurrence that are most common in childhood. A night terror every once in a while is probably not a huge cause for concern, but when the issue becomes chronic, that’s when it’s time to see a sleep specialist.
Night Terror Treatment
Night terrors are treated differently based on their cause. For example, if the night terror coincides with sleep apnea, treating the sleep apnea with a CPAP or tonsillectomy may cure the night terrors. Often, night terrors are due to a psychological cause like anxiety or past traumas. In this case, treatment involves seeing a psychologist and, in some cases, being put on an anti-anxiety drug. It’s important to complete a sleep study to give your sleep specialist a complete picture of your health. Don’t leave out any details. When it comes to our bodies, everything is connected. You never know what minor underlying health issue might be contributing to the night terrors.
Night terrors are very different from nightmares in that they can be dangerous and that the person having the terror doesn’t remember them in the morning. A night terror can even lead to injury, as the person cannot control their movements during the experience. While night terrors can occur at any age, they are most common in children ages 4-12. Often, they coincide with other sleeping disorders like sleep apnea or manifest due to psychological issues like anxiety.
If your child is struggling with chronic night terrors, it’s time to contact a pediatric sleep specialist. At Gingras Sleep Medicine, we specialize in helping both kids and adults with sleep disorders. Through our sleep study process, we work to find the root cause behind sleep issues and make a proper diagnosis. Each treatment plan is unique to the individual in order to have successful results. Contact Gingras Sleep Medicine today to set up an initial appointment.