866.465.4478What Are Night Terrors?
Night terrors are periods of screaming, fear, and flailing that occur even though you are still asleep. These episodes can last for only a few seconds or several minutes and are akin to the same state of mind as sleepwalking. Nearly 40% of children are affected by night terrors.1 The condition is less common in adults.
What Causes Night Terrors?
Night terrors are usually the result of periods of sleep deprivation, stress, or disrupted sleep schedules. Sometimes a high fever can also stimulate night terrors. Because disrupted sleep and sleep loss are leading causes, chronic sleep disorders can contribute to night terrors.
How Do Night Terrors Disrupt Sleep?
Night terrors cause both children and adults alike to have a more disrupted sleep. People who had a night terror may wake up less refreshed and more lethargic. That’s because episodes mostly occur during N3 sleep, the deepest stage of non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. Missing out on N3 sleep means that people will not be able to get the benefits of this sleep stage. During this deep sleep, the body performs maintenance and repair to all parts of the body. This is also the only stage of sleep that is refreshing, as it eliminates any sleepiness during a normal day of activities.
Can Sleep Apnea Precipitate Night Terrors?
Like many sleep disorders, sleep apnea can also contribute to night terrors. Over a period of time, poor sleep due to sleep apnea may illicit these traumatic events. People who experience night terrors are more likely to have respiratory issues like sleep apnea.2
What Is the Difference Between Nightmares and Night Terrors?
While nightmares and night terrors are both traumatic experiences during sleep, they are different. A nightmare usually causes you to wake up and you may recall parts of the bad dream. However, night terrors occur while you are in a state of deep sleep and you are less likely to remember any parts of your experience.
What are the Signs & Symptoms of Night Terrors?
During night terrors you may:
- scream or cry while sleeping
- stare blankly even while others are trying to get your attention
- breathe rapidly
- flail and thrash around in bed
- physically leave your bed and move around the room much like a sleepwalker
Night Terrors in Adults
While the condition is most common in children, roughly 2% of adults experience night terrors. This percentage may also be higher, as many adults without a witness to account for the events may be experiencing night terrors and never even know it. Episodes in adults usually happen during the first half of their sleep period, and typically only last for a minute or shorter.
Night Terrors in Toddlers
Night terrors tend to happen most commonly in children who are 12 years old or younger. Kids who are aged 3 and 4 are most susceptible to having these episodes. This condition is hereditary, so children most likely get this disorder through their parents, not through stress or any other outside factors. Night terrors can cause a child to scream during their sleep, and often times get out of bed. They usually occur within two hours of a child falling asleep, and a child would have no recollection of night terrors occurring.
Night Terrors in Babies
Babies as young as 18 months old can experience night terrors. Like older children, babies will grow out of this disorder over time. Screaming, glassy eyes, and rapid breathing are signs that a baby may be experiencing a night terror. The episodes can last for only a few minutes or up to 45 minutes. If you are a parent of a baby who has night terrors, avoid waking them up as it will only further disturb their sleep patterns. Babies and children will both calm down after their episode and will then resume their regular sleep.
How to Stop Night Terrors?
In order to treat night terrors, doctors typically look for disruptions in sleep patterns, which can be caused by a variety of factors including sleep apnea.
Because sleep apnea is so common, it may be a contributing factor to night terrors. If you think you are experiencing them, you can get a sleep apnea diagnosis quickly and easily at home. Here’s how it works:
References
- Mayo Clinic. Sleep Terrors.
- Healthline. Adult Night Terrors: Why They Happen and What You Can Do