If your child wakes from sleep with a sudden episode of intense terror, bolting upright with his eyes wide open, a look of fear and panic, and lets out a scream, he just had a night terror.

Causes

Usually, within fifteen minutes of your child falling asleep, he will begin his deepest sleep of the night called slow wave sleep, or deep non-REM sleep. Typically this lasts from forty-five to seventy-five minutes. It is during this part of his sleep, just before the transition to lighter sleep, that your child becomes stuck. Caught between stages, your child will have a period of partial arousal. During this time your child will groan, cry, kick, hit, and scream. His eyes may be open or closed; he will look confused, upset, or even “possessed,” as many parents have described it. Typically, night terrors last for about ten minutes, although it may be over in one minute, or last as long as thirty minutes.

Night terrors normally affect young children between the ages of three to five years old. Watching a child go through this is very emotional and frightening for most parents, so it is important to know that for the most part, it is a harmless situation. Guidelines to decrease the impact of night terrors include having a strict bedtime and waking time and dimming the lights one to two hours before sleep; avoiding naps, reading, and watching TV in bed; limiting soda pop, chocolate, or other stimulants; and eliminating physical exertion and heavy liquids like milkshakes prior to bedtime.

Several issues play a part in your child having night terrors. If you or your spouse had night terrors, studies suggest your child will, too. Being really tired can also play a part. Doctors suggest extra time for sleep and talking to your child to soothe his tendency to worry. If night terrors become frequent and using the guidelines listed previously does not work, then it is time to get professional advice.