Night terrors, also known as sleep terrors, are episodes of screaming, intense fear, and flailing while still asleep. They are considered a parasomnia, which is an undesired occurrence during sleep. Night terrors usually happen about 2-3 hours after a child falls asleep when the brain is in non-REM (non-rapid eye movement) stages of sleep. They are different from nightmares, as the dreamer of a nightmare wakes up from the dream and may remember details, but a person who has a sleep terror episode remains asleep. Night terrors can be alarming to see, but they are not harmful and kids almost always grow out of them. Night terrors are most common in children ages 3 through 7, and much less common after that. Night terrors may require treatment if they cause problems getting enough sleep or they pose a safety risk.

Signs and Symptoms of Night Terrors

• Suddenly sit upright in bed
• Act very upset and afraid
• Shout out or scream in distress
• Flail their limbs and scream and shout

Causes of Night Terrors

• Fever, especially in children
• Stress
• Sleep deprivation
• Light or noise
• An overfull bladder
• Spending the night somewhere unfamiliar

It is important to note that night terrors are not a diagnosable condition, but rather contain elements of conditions known as nightmare disorder, REM sleep behavior disorder, and Non-Rapid Eye Movement (NREM) Sleep Arousal Disorder.