Steeling Yourself Against Sleep Terrors
It’s 9:00 pm and the children are asleep. You’re about to read that novel you’ve been looking forward to. You hear a blood-curdling scream coming from your four-year-old son’s room. When you get there, he is sitting up in bed but he’s not fully awake. You are able to calm him down and he goes back to sleep. Your son may have experienced a sleep terror.
Sleep terrors or night terrors are sleep disturbances that afflict some children. Children who experience sleep terrors are suspended in an altered state of consciousness between deep sleep and dream sleep. Unlike nightmares, which may be recalled in minute detail, youngsters who suffer sleep terrors often have no recollection of the event.
Sleep terrors are one of a group of sleep disturbances known as parasomnias. These disturbances range from the benign sleep talking to bruxism (teeth grinding), sleep walking and the most extreme—sleep terrors.
Boys are three to four times more afflicted with sleep terrors than girls, although researchers don’t know why. And there is a suggestion that sleep terrors seem to run in families.
Although it can sometimes be difficult for parents to tell the difference between sleep terrors and nightmares, the general rule of thumb is that sleep terrors occur in the early part of the night, within the first two to three hours of sleep. Nightmares, on the other hand, happen most often during the early morning hours.
In other words, sleep terrors happen before REM or rapid eye movement sleep whereas nightmares happen during REM sleep, when people are more likely to remember their dreams.
A pattern of activity in the brain occurs in REM that leaves people fully rested and energized when they wake up. The longer time you sleep, the longer time you spend in REM sleep. REM sleep helps with regeneration.
Sleep terrors typically resolve themselves and the best thing a parent can do is offer calm reassurance. It may take a couple of minutes for children to become oriented with their surroundings.
Though sleep terrors can be related to a traumatic event, they may simply come out of the blue. Causes are rarely found, though it is recommended that parents consider possible anxieties at home or school.
Anyone can have a sleep terror but they are most common in children younger than 12. In most cases, they stop by the time a child reaches middle school or high school.
Although the behavior that happens during a sleep terror can put a child at risk for physical harm from falling or hitting something, a sleep terror itself isn’t harmful and doesn’t pose any health risks. Most of the time, children don’t remember having a sleep terror. Because of that, sleep terrors are usually more upsetting for other members of the household than they are for the child who actually has them.
Sleep terrors are more likely to happen when a child is overtired or feeling a significant amount of stress. Sleeping in new surroundings or in a loud or noisy environment may contribute to sleep terrors. In children, fevers may sometimes trigger a sleep terror.
One of the best steps you can take to help prevent sleep terrors is to make sure your child is well-rested. A regular bedtime routine that is relaxing and doesn’t involve any electronics including cellphones, TV, computers and video games also can help. Read books together, play a quiet game or spend time talking to help your child wind down before bed. If a child doesn’t seem to be able to get enough sleep at night, consider a daytime nap. As much as possible, keep the stress level in your home low, and help your child work through stressful or upsetting situations.
To reduce the risk of a child hurting himself or herself during a sleep terror, create a safe bedroom environment. Place sharp, heavy or fragile objects out of your child’s reach at night. Securely lock windows and doors. Put gates across stairways. Children who have sleep terrors should not sleep on the top level of a bunk bed.
When a sleep terror happens, stay with your child until it is finished. If necessary, gently restrain the child from getting out of bed or lead the child back to bed. Speak softly and calmly. Don’t try to wake your child. The phase of sleep during which a sleep terror happens makes it unlikely that a child will respond to attempts to wake him or her.
Shouting or shaking a child during a sleep terror could make the episode last longer. In most cases, a sleep terror will stop on its own. Never punish a child for having a sleep terror or threaten punishment if it happens again. That only increases a child’s stress and could worsen the situation.
Treatment usually isn’t necessary for sleep terrors. But if they significantly disrupt your home regularly, make an appointment with your child’s healthcare provider. He or she can help evaluate the situation. In rare cases, a child who has frequent sleep terrors may benefit from an evaluation with a sleep medicine specialist. In most cases, however, sleep terrors fade away as the child ages, without any medical intervention.
