What are night terrors in children?
Night terrors are when children suddenly get very agitated while in a state of deep sleep.
Night terrors affect about 1 in 20 children.
Night terrors are sometimes called sleep terrors.
Night terrors are most common in children aged 2-4 years, but they can happen in children aged up to 12 years. Most children outgrow night terrors by the time they reach puberty.
How to recognise a night terror
Night terrors happen suddenly and often start with a cry or scream.
A child having a night terror might:
- look like they’re in a panic – their heart might be racing, and they might be breathing fast and sweating
- look like they’re awake – for example, their eyes might be open or they might be crying
- look confused or dazed.
- sit up or get out of bed and run around
- talk, although it might not make sense.
Night terrors usually settle down in 10-15 minutes, but they can last longer than this. They don’t usually happen more than once a night. Sometimes they happen regularly for weeks or months and then go away.
Night terrors might seem scary, but they don’t hurt children. Children won’t remember them in the morning and aren’t aware of having had a bad dream or a fright.
What causes night terrors in children?
A common cause of night terrors is a lack of good quality sleep.
Also, your child is more likely to have night terrors if they’re not well. Fever and certain medicines can increase the likelihood of night terrors.
Night terrors can run in families. Your child is more likely to have night terrors if someone else in the family has had them.
What to do if your child has night terrors
Here’s what to do – and what not to do – if your child has night terrors.
When a night terror is happening
- Avoid waking your child. A child having a night terror will only be confused and disorientated if you wake them. If you leave your child asleep, the night terror will be over more quickly and your child won’t remember it happened.
- Wait for your child to stop thrashing around. Gently guide your child back to bed (if they get out) and tuck them in. Your child will usually settle back to sleep quickly at this stage.
- If you think your child might get hurt, stay close to guide your child away from hitting or bumping the cot or bed or other obstacles.
Before bedtime and during the night
- Try a regular bedtime routine of bath, story and bed. This can help your child feel ready for sleep and help them get more sleep. Lack of sleep can cause night terrors in some children.
- If your child is having regular night terrors around the same time each night, try gently waking your child briefly about half an hour before the usual night terror time and resettling them, for 2-4 weeks. This works for some children.
During the day
Make sure the bedroom and other areas of the house are safe for your child. This is important if your child gets out of bed and moves around during their night terrors.
When to get help for your child’s night terrors
If your child is having night terrors along with breathing problems like snoring, talk with your GP about an ear, nose and throat assessment.
It can help to keep a sleep diary that describes when and where your child sleeps and how often your child has night terrors. You can share this information with your GP if you’re concerned that your child isn’t getting enough good-quality sleep or if your child’s night terrors are frequent and violent or continue over many months.
What’s the difference between night terrors and nightmares?
Night terrors are different from nightmares.
Children sleep through night terrors and don’t remember them when they wake up. Children are usually awake and distressed after a nightmare.
Night terrors happen during the first few hours of sleep, when your child is sleeping very deeply. Nightmares tend to happen in the second half of the night, when your child is sleeping lightly and dreaming.
Night terrors are less common than nightmares.
A child who’s had a nightmare might wake up, remember the nightmare and feel upset, but children with night terrors won’t. Read about how to help children with nightmares.