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. Kids usually will settle down and return to sleep on their own in a few minutes.
It may be helpful for your child to have a security object (e.g., special blanket, toy, stuffed animal) to keep during the night to help him / her to feel more relaxed at bedtime. A night-light may be helpful for providing security at night even if your child is not afraid of the dark.
Kids who suffer from daytime anxieties—about school, separation from parents, or other concerns—are more likely to fear the dark and fear sleeping alone (Gregory and Eley 2005). You may be able to reduce your child's nighttime fears by helping him cope with daytime stress.
Bedtime fears – the dark, monsters under the bed, and sleeping alone – are all common at this age. They tend to start around age 2 and may last until age 8 or 9.
Nightmares are scary dreams that often happen during the second half of the night when dreaming is most intense. Children may start having nightmares as young as 6 months of age. They tend to peak between 3 and 12 years old. Children may wake up crying or feeling afraid and may have trouble falling back to sleep.
Common childhood fears
Babies (age 0-2) typically fear strangers, unfamiliar settings and loud noises. Toddlers (age 2-4) may express fears related to the dark, thunder, shadows, being separated from parents, changes to routine, or fears related to potty training (which is more than you'd think).
Children show signs of anxiety and irrational fears for a wide variety of reasons, such as transitions (new school), deaths, births, friend issues and stress in the home. There also can be underlying reasons, such as sensory issues, learning issues and executive-functioning issues.
A good starting point is to ask your child what might help him feel less scared of the dark. A small (not too bright) nightlight, having a stuffed animal, a comforting bedtime routine or an object that empowers them (for example, some kids like a magic wand), are all some possible examples.
Get adequate sleep.
Fatigue can contribute to sleep terrors. If you're sleep deprived, try an earlier bedtime and a more regular sleep schedule. Sometimes a short nap may help. If possible, avoid sleep-time noises or other stimuli that could interrupt sleep.
The cause is unknown but night terrors are often triggered by fever, lack of sleep or periods of emotional tension, stress or conflict. Night terrors are like nightmares, except that nightmares usually occur during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and are most common in the early morning.
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. Kids usually will settle down and return to sleep on their own in a few minutes. It's best not to try to wake kids during a night terror.
Night terrors are most common in children between the ages of 3 and 8, while nightmares can affect both children and adults. Differences between night terrors and nightmares.
There are several reasons why a child might become afraid at bedtime, including the fear of being alone, the thought of something coming through the window, a mysterious noise, or a shadow on the wall. Without giving any new ideas, try to help your child identify what exactly they are scared of.
At age 3, children are engrossed in a world of pretend and imagination, and they don't fully understand the difference between fantasy and reality. In their minds, anything can happen at night: The dragon from the bedtime story or the clown from a party he attended could suddenly appear out of the shadows to scare him.
Sleep anxiety is a really common experience for growing kids. We've all probably laid awake in bed at one time or another wondering whether we will be able to fall asleep. For kids who don't have the same life experience as adults, sleep can be strange and even a little scary.
As a child learns more about the world, the list of things they fear tends to grow. Some fears are real and some are imaginary. Common fears include fear of the dark, burglary, war, death, separation or divorce of their parents, and supernatural beings (such as ghosts and monsters).
During a night terror children might look like they're in a panic. Their hearts might be racing, and they might be breathing fast and sweating. Children might also look like they're awake – for example, their eyes might be open or they might be crying. Some children might even sit up or get out of bed and run around.
Night terrors usually last around five to 10 minutes and may happen more than once during the same night.
Night terrors are more common in young children – from toddlers to grade-schoolers. A study of almost 2,000 children found that 40 percent of children between ages 2 1/2 to 6 years old experienced night terrors. Kids often grow out of them by about age 12.
Degree of fear: during a night terror, a sufferer will appear terrified. Nightmares, although upsetting provoke less intense fear. Movement: REM sleep is accompanied by REM atonia; during a nightmare, the limbs are paralyzed. Movement during night terrors is not restricted and often co-occurs with sleepwalking.
Experts in Colorado say screen time with television and video games could be making sleep disorders like night terrors worse in children, reports ABC7. “They get stuck in sleep,” Halbower told Denver7. “They can't wake up. Only part of their body wakes up.