Night terrors usually happen in kids between 4 and 12 years old, but have been reported in babies as young as 18 months. They seem to be a little more common among boys.
Sleep terrors affect almost 40 percent of children and a much smaller percentage of adults. However frightening, sleep terrors aren't usually a cause for concern. Most children outgrow sleep terrors by their teenage years.
Night terrors can affect people of any age but are much more common in young children than in adolescents or adults.
Some possible causes and risk factors for night terrors include: Night terrors may be genetic, as they tend to run in families3. Night terrors are more likely during times of illness and when you have a fever2. Night terrors can happen when you are sleep deprived or especially exhausted2.
Night terrors are most often seen between the ages 3 to 7 years of age, and they often subside by 10 years of age. It appears that there is equal prevalence between boys and girls with a prevalence of approximately 30% in children. Night terrors can occur in adults however it is rare.
Other common parasomnias such as nightmares and night terrors have often been associated with psychopathology.
Some people with PTSD experience night terrors, also known as sleep terrors. Night terrors are fairly common in children but not in adults, but trauma can cause them.
It's best not to try to wake kids during a night terror. This usually doesn't work, and kids who do wake are likely to be disoriented and confused, and may take longer to settle down and go back to sleep. There's no treatment for night terrors, but you can help prevent them.
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.
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.
Night terrors are most common in children aged 2-4 years, but can happen in children aged up to 12 years. Most children outgrow night terrors by the time they reach puberty.
Night terrors in adults are often linked to stress or trauma. Sometimes a condition that affects sleep can be a trigger for night terrors. For example: obstructive sleep apnoea.
Night terrors are inherited, meaning a child gets the disorder from his or her parents and the condition runs in families. They occur in 2% of children and usually are not caused by psychological stress. Being overtired can trigger night terrors.
Night terrors usually last around five to 10 minutes and may happen more than once during the same night.
The bottom line
Nightmares are disturbing dreams you can easily remember upon waking, while night terrors are episodes of screaming and flailing that you typically won't recall. While children more commonly experience these sleep disturbances, adults can have them too.
Treatment and Prevention
No treatment is usually necessary for routine night terrors. 3 Since they are often triggered in children who are overtired, sticking to a good bedtime routine and making sure your child is getting enough sleep might help to prevent them.
Sleep terrors differ from sleepwalking and confusional arousals in that the individual appears to react to some type of frightening image. The individual may act in an improper or agitated manner without regard to reality. If another individual is encountered or is in close proximity, violent behavior may occur.
Night terrors are most common during the first third of the night, often between midnight and 2 a.m. Children often scream and are very frightened and confused. They thrash around violently and are often not aware of their surroundings. The child may not be able to respond to being talked to, comforted, or awakened.
These trauma related elements may be content and or affect (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Both sleep terrors and nightmares can occur in PTSD. That is they can be co-morbid with each other. Nightmares may be restructured through imagery rescripting, this includes PTSD related nightmares.
Scary nights
Researchers have long known that people who suffer from schizophrenia tend to report night terrors and frequent, terrifying nightmares.
Adults are more likely to have night terrors if they have a history of: bipolar disorder. depression. anxiety.
If you have chronic nightmares, they could be due to stress, anxiety, a traumatic event or lack of sleep. Night terrors have a strong genetic link, so you are more likely to experience them if someone else in your family has them. Adults who develop night terrors usually have underlying mental health problems.
Don't wake your child during an episode. It can make them even more confused, and they might take longer to go back to sleep. Try to wait it out, and make sure they don't get hurt by thrashing around or tripping on something in their room.
Not only are weighted blankets scientifically proven to reduce insomnia severity in people with psychiatric disorders, but they can also be a source of comfort for those dealing with frequent night terrors.