Night Terrors

I moved my little one over as I got into bed, she tossed and turned and woke up screaming! “Oh, no! She’s up”, I thought. She’s a light sleeper. Little did I know, she wasn’t really up, she was in a deep sleep! She started climbing over my hubby and I trying to get off of the bed, as I tried to lift her, she screamed and cried and wriggled her way out of my grasp. I had my hubby turn the lights on, and still, she screamed. She couldn’t be comforted by either of us. By this time she was off the bed, and although I tried to carry her, she wanted to be down. When I put her down she’d run, then run back to me. I’d try to pick her up, but she’d scream and throw herself down. It seemed that when she looked up at me, she was afraid, as if it weren’t me! By this time my hubby and I realized she was having a NIGHT TERROR! She wasn’t awake, although it seemed like she was.


I first experienced a night terror when my older daughter was two. It terrified my hubby and I! She woke up screaming her two hands covering her eyes, she peeked through to look at us and had the most frightened expression on her face. It was as though she thought we were monsters! She was so scared she was shaking! Because she had a fever before she went to bed, my immediate thought was that the fever had gone too high and she was hallucinating. My hubby and I rushed her to the emergency room! By the time we got there, she was calm, and probably wondering what was going on! It was then that we were told she had experienced a NIGHT TERROR!


Night terrors are NOT the same as nightmares. According to an article I read on Kidshealth.org “Night terrors happen during deep non-REM sleep. Unlike nightmares (which occur during REM sleep), a night terror is not technically a dream, but more like a sudden reaction of fear that happens during the transition from one sleep phase to another.”


However, this is not just it. While going through the article, I discovered night terrors are not only common in children but also in adults, primarily because of stress, trauma, or an existing mental health condition, for which they often have to consume anti-depressants. However, depressants alone do not prove to be completely effective, which is why adults usually consider using anti-depressants in conjunction with sleep vitamins which can offer sound sleep and freedom from night terrors. Of course, that is not to say they will work for everyone. If people have a physical sleep issue such as sleep apnea then they may have to go for more practical support such as a cpap mask (searching questions such as “what cpap mask is best for me?” can help with finding out the relevant information), but it might be used in conjunction with various supplements, pending approval from their doctor. You can probably guess as well that these medications can not be used for kids, but for cpap masks it is an open area. Hence, it might be worrisome as to how parents can help children get rid of night terrors easily.

That said, the first time you experience your child waking up with a night terror, you will surely be alarmed! It is frightening to watch. I was almost in tears as I felt so helpless. I just wanted her to wake up and snap out of it, which eventually she did. She then cradled up in my arms and quickly fell back asleep, as if none of it had happened.


I will check on how to manage night terrors in kids, and perhaps talk to a professional about it. With a little research, I have discovered that a few reasons behind sleep terrors can be lack of proper sleep, sleep apnea, increased stress level, trauma, and uncomfortable sleeping position. For now, I might consider switching my daughter’s mattress with a more comfortable one (maybe look for Koala vs Sleeping Duck 2023 to explore reviews) so that she can get uninterrupted sleep. As a parent, I don’t want to feel helpless, so I am going to try every possible solution to reduce her night terrors.


It is recommended that you leave your child alone when they are having a night terror. Talking to them may have a negative effect. In our case it did, she was completely inconsolable! Even the sound of our voice seemed to make it worse. The good news is, they will get over it! And, be assured that once they get up in the morning, YOU are the only who will have remembered a thing!