The terms “Sleep Terrors” and “Night Terrors” are used interchangeably and are referring to the same pediatric sleep disorder. Sleep Terrors / Night Terrors are parasomnias, which are “unpleasant or undesirable behavioral or experiential phenomena that occur predominantly during the sleep period” (Mahowald, Chokroverty, Kader, & Schenck, 1997, p. 67). Simply stated, parasomnias like Sleep Terrors / Night Terrors are unusual movements or behaviors during sleep, many of which occur when the child is transitioning from the deepest sleep level of Non-Rapid Eye Movement (NREM) sleep into Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep. It is believed that the Sleep Terrors / Night Terrors occur when the child gets “stuck” between level 4 of NREM sleep (slow wave or deep sleep) and REM (dream state) sleep. As a result, the brain is not transitioning smoothly from one sleep stage to another.

These Sleep Terrors / Night Terrors often occur in the first third of the night and about 60-90 minutes after the child falls asleep. The child is partially, but not fully awakened, and it triggers a state of intense anxiety and possibly a fearful nightmare-like state. However, Sleep Terrors / Night Terrors are different from real Nightmares because children can be awakened from a Nightmare, talk about it, and remember it; however, a child with a Sleep Terror / Night Terror cannot be awakened from it, talk about it, and usually the child does not remember it the next morning.

Real Sleep Terrors / Night Terrors are very unsettling experiences for parents because the child often reacts suddenly by sitting upright in bed and screaming or crying in a frightful manner. Usually his/her eyes are wide open and wild with fear. The child’s heart is racing and s/he may break out in a sweat and continue to cry or scream. When the parent tries to wake up the child or console him/her, this usually makes the Sleep Terror / Night Terror worse or last longer. The child thinks someone is attacking him/her and may start to flail the arms in resistance and defense. When the child is in this intensified state of fear, s/he may jump up and try to run away, which could be dangerous.

If your child or adolescent is struggling with the signs of Sleep Terrors / Night Terrors or Nightmares, you can click the button below to SCREEN your child or teen for these problems and other common pediatric sleep disorders that can cause Sleep Terrors / Night Terrors. This screening will give you information about what causes these problems, and intervention ideas to decrease or stop Sleep Terrors / Night Terrors and Nightmares. Please click onto ”SCREEN CHILD” below to screen your child with the Sleep Disorders Inventory for Students (for use by parents of children between 2 years and 19 years) and get valuable intervention ideas.