Night terrors aren't exactly a form of anxiety, but anxiety, stress, trauma, and mood disorders are significant triggers and can be closely linked, especially in adults where they often signal an underlying mental health issue like PTSD or generalized anxiety, though they're more common in kids due to developmental factors like sleep deprivation. While children usually outgrow them and don't remember them, adult night terrors are a stronger indicator of related psychopathology.
In adulthood, a significant association was described between sleep terrors and more affective difficulties, such as anxiety symptoms. In school-aged children, sleep terrors have also been linked with higher separation anxiety, internalizing problems (anxious/depressed, withdrawn symptoms), and psychotic symptoms.
How to help a child during a night terror
What causes night terrors? They're common in children and can be due to brain immaturity and not necessarily a sign of a medical problem. But if they persist, you should see a medical professional for an evaluation. In adults, night terrors can be caused by stress, depression, anxiety, sleep apnea, pain and alcohol.
Cognitive behavioral therapy, hypnosis or relaxation therapy may help. Anticipatory awakening. This involves waking the person who has sleep terrors about 15 minutes before the person usually has the event. Then the person stays awake for a few minutes before falling asleep again.
Night terrors in adults
Night terrors are less common among adults. Adults may be more injury-prone than children, as many people suddenly get out of bed when one happens. Night terrors in adults usually point to an underlying mental health condition, like post-traumatic stress disorder or anxiety disorder.
Developmental, environmental, organic, psychological, and genetic factors have been identified as a potential cause of sleep terrors. Sleep terrors tend to occur within the first three hours of the major sleep episode, during arousal from stage three or four non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep.
Night terrors occur in deep sleep or NREM stage three. During night terrors, the front part of your brain that controls executive functioning and memory is asleep while the back part that controls motor movement is awake. This is similar to sleepwalking.
Hypnagogic or hypnopompic hallucinations can be mistaken for, or misdiagnosed as, panic attacks, nightmares, or night terrors in children. More severe events can even be confused with psychotic disorders.
Nightmares are a risk factor for later PTSD and suicide. PTSD treatment leads to large reductions in trauma-related nightmares. Treating nightmares in a clinical sample with depression requires testing.
Being overtired or feeling stress are known triggers for night terrors. Dr. Lockwood recommends that parents try the following to calm and relax their children before bedtime: Make time for young children to nap during the day so they don't get overtired.
Dr. Veler: Nothing—because night terrors are completely normal, especially if your child is tired or has been sick—usually with a fever. We don't recommend trying to wake kids up, but instead, let the night terror pass. Stay by their side to make sure they are safe, but don't get involved.
They're in the Middle of a Developmental Leap
They may fall into a lighter sleep cycle, wake up confused, or feel emotionally overwhelmed. Screaming or crying can be their way of expressing discomfort or overstimulation.
The 3-3-3 rule for kids' anxiety is a simple mindfulness grounding technique where they name 3 things they see, identify 3 sounds they hear, and move 3 different body parts (like wiggling toes, turning a head, or rolling shoulders) to shift focus from worries to the present moment, helping to calm overwhelming feelings. It's a quick, portable tool to manage anxiety, but for persistent issues, professional help is recommended.
How to help with night terrors or nightmares
PTSD often causes night terrors, a sleep disruption they may not even remember the next morning. Help your loved one find the treatment they need to help reduce their PTSD symptoms.
Occasional sleep terrors aren't usually a cause for concern. If your child has sleep terrors, you can simply mention them at a routine well-child exam. But if you have concerns for you or your child, talk to your doctor or other healthcare professional sooner, especially if sleep terrors: Happen more often.
If children have nocturnal (night-time) seizures, they will often make strange movements or adopt a strange position. This will often include movements of the shoulders, pelvis, arms or legs. Children may also have convulsions during a nocturnal seizure.
Parasomnias in children are common and may consist of abnormal movements, behaviors, emotions, dream perception, and autonomic activity during transitions between sleep states. They occur from sleep to wakefulness, or during arousals from sleep.
It is also likely that some personality disorders may occur in individuals with night terrors, such as dependent, schizoid, and borderline personality disorders. There have been some symptoms of depression and anxiety that have increased in individuals that have frequent night terrors.
You should never ignore dreams that signal feeling overwhelmed (falling, drowning, being lost), a lack of control (car troubles), missed chances (missing transport), or recurring negative patterns (back to old schools/homes), as these often point to real-life anxiety, stagnation, or unresolved issues you need to address, with some spiritual interpretations also flagging attacks or spiritual pollution like eating food in dreams. Paying attention to vivid, recurring, or disturbing dreams can offer profound insights into your subconscious and guide you toward necessary changes for personal growth and clarity.
For the most part, treatment isn't necessary for night terrors, especially if they are infrequent. If there is an underlying condition, however, such as PTSD or sleep apnea, it's important to treat the root cause.
Also, night terrors are most common in preadolescent boys, though they are fairly common in children three to five years old. The following are common characteristics of a night terror: Sudden awakening from sleep.
A number of children have night terrors from a chemical or preservative in their food or environment – the most common one is MSG (number 621). Address deficiencies if present – nutrients that enable appropriate brain chemistry and neurotransmitter release include vitamin B6, Magnesium and Zinc.
Causes of night terrors in adults
Night terrors in adults are often linked to stress or trauma. Sometimes a condition that affects sleep can trigger night terrors, for example: obstructive sleep apnoea. restless legs syndrome.