Side by side
| Feature | Night terror | Nightmare |
|---|---|---|
| Timing | First 1-3 hours of sleep | Second half of the night |
| Sleep stage | Partial waking from deep sleep | REM sleep |
| The child | Not awake, unresponsive | Awake and oriented |
| Response to comfort | None, and it can make it worse | Comfort helps |
| Memory next morning | None | Can describe it |
| Common ages | 3-8 years | Any age, peaking at 3-6 |
What to do during a night terror
- Don't try to wake them. Attempts to wake prolong the episode and increase the distress.
- Make it safe: remove the risk of falling out of bed or knocking into things, and check doors.
- Wait quietly. Episodes usually end on their own within a few minutes and the child returns to deep sleep.
- Don't discuss it in the morning. They don't remember it; describing it only creates a new source of fear.
Reducing how often they happen
The strongest trigger for night terrors is insufficient and irregular sleep. Fixing bedtime and bringing total sleep into the range for your child's age reduces frequency markedly in most families. If episodes happen at almost the same time each night, scheduled awakening can be tried: waking your child briefly 15-20 minutes before the expected time. This should be done on medical advice.
For nightmares
- A short, calm comfort on waking is enough; a long conversation reinforces the waking.
- Talking about the dream in the daytime, calmly, and changing the ending together helps.
- Review what's watched before bed: frightening scenes, news and tense games feed recurring nightmares.
- Give your child a little control over the room: the light switch, how far the door is open, a toy they choose.
When to see a doctor
- Episodes happen several times a week and continue for months.
- There's sleepwalking, complex movements in bed, or a risk of injury.
- Snoring, pauses in breathing or open-mouth breathing accompany them — these need separate assessment.
- There's excessive daytime sleepiness and attention problems.
- Episodes start for the first time after nine or ten years old.
Common questions
Are night terrors a sign of a psychological problem?
Usually not. They relate to transitions between sleep stages, are developmental and have a strong family tendency. In most children they disappear on their own by adolescence.
My child sleepwalks — is that the same thing?
They belong to the same family: both are partial wakings from deep sleep and they often occur together. The approach is similar too: don't wake, make it safe, regularise sleep.
Should I take them into my bed after a nightmare?
A one-off is fine. If it becomes the standing arrangement it can maintain both the waking and the expectation of more nightmares. The alternative is staying briefly in your child's room so they settle there.
Do they increase during illness?
Yes — fever and illness temporarily increase the frequency of these episodes. They're expected to return to their previous frequency once the illness passes.