Night terrors and nightmares
Overview
Many children have nightmares and night terrors, but most grow out of them. Some adults also can also have them.
Symptoms
Night terrors and nightmares are different and happen at different stages of sleep. During a night terror you may talk and move about but are asleep. It's rare to remember having a night terror. Nightmares are bad dreams you wake up from and can remember. Night terrors are most common in children between the ages of 3 and 8, while nightmares can affect both children and adults. Mainly affect children Affect both children and adults Scream, shout, thrash about, jump out of bed, eyes open but not awake, will not remember it Strong feelings of fear, you may wake up and be able to remember the dream Happen in the early part of the night, sometimes more than once, lasting up to 15 minutes Happen later in the night If you cannot move or speak as you wake up or fall asleep, you may havesleep paralysis. This is not the same as having a night terror.
Causes
Common causes of night terrors and nightmares include: being very tired or unwellsudden noises at night or needing to pee during the night (which can affect your deep sleep)something that's frightened you (such as watching a scary film) or made you stressed, anxious or worried They can also be caused by: taking certain medicines, such as antidepressantsconditions that affect sleep, such asrestless legs syndromeorsleep apnoeamental health conditions, such asgeneralised anxiety disorder (GAD)conditions that affect the brain, such asParkinson's diseasea severe injury (your sleep may be disturbed for 4 to 6 weeks afterwards) Night terrors are more common in people with family members who have had night terrors or who sleepwalk.
Treatment
Treatment for night terrors and nightmares depends on what may be causing them. Psychological therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can help children and adults who have frequent nightmares. CBT may also help with conditions such as anxiety or insomnia that can cause night terrors or nightmares. If you're having nightmares caused by a traumatic event, a GP may recommend psychological treatment such as counselling. If you have a condition that affects your sleep, treatment will usually involve trying to manage the condition better.