Sleep
Night Terrors vs Nightmares: How to Tell the Difference and What to Do
Night terrors and nightmares look alarming but are completely different phenomena requiring different responses. This guide explains the key distinctions and what parents should and shouldn't do.
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This article is for general information and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult your pediatrician or doctor about your child.
Aligned with AAP, WHO, NHS and CDC guidance.
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Key Differences at a Glance
Night terrors and nightmares are fundamentally different in their cause, timing, and appropriate parental response. Confusing them leads to well-meaning but counterproductive interventions — the things that help with nightmares actively make night terrors worse, and vice versa.
Night terrors occur in the first third of the night during deep (slow-wave) sleep. The child appears awake — eyes may be open, they may be screaming, sitting up, or even walking — but is actually in a partial arousal state and is not conscious. They cannot be comforted by normal means, won't respond to their name, and have no memory of the episode in the morning. They are classified medically as a parasomnia and are more common in children with a family history of sleepwalking.
Nightmares are bad dreams. They occur in the second half of the night during REM sleep, the child fully wakes from them, is distressed and aware of the dream content, seeks comfort, and remembers the nightmare the next day. They are a normal feature of childhood development from age 2-3 onward as imaginative capacity develops.
Night Terror
- First third of the night
- Deep (NREM) sleep
- Child appears awake but isn't
- Cannot be comforted
- No memory next morning
- Do NOT wake or restrain
Nightmare
- Second half of the night
- REM (dreaming) sleep
- Child fully wakes
- Responds to comfort
- Remembers next morning
- Comfort, reassure, stay nearby
What to Do During a Night Terror
The most important thing during a night terror is to resist the urge to intervene in the way you would for a nightmare. Turning on lights, calling the child's name repeatedly, picking them up, or trying to wake them tends to prolong the episode and increase agitation. The child is not suffering in the way they appear to be — their behavioural distress does not reflect conscious experience in that moment.
Stay in the room, ensure the environment is safe (nothing sharp nearby, can't fall from bed), and observe calmly. Speak in a quiet, steady voice if it seems to help, but don't expect a response. The episode typically resolves within 5-15 minutes, after which the child returns to normal sleep. In the morning, don't mention the episode — the child has no memory of it and describing it may cause unnecessary fear about going to sleep.
If night terrors are frequent (more than 1-2 per week), try moving bedtime earlier or ensuring a longer total sleep period. Overtiredness is a significant trigger — more deep sleep means more partial arousal opportunities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are night terrors dangerous?
Night terrors are not dangerous in themselves. The child is in a partial arousal from deep sleep and is not aware of their surroundings, despite appearances. The main risk during a night terror is physical injury from thrashing — ensure the sleep environment is safe (no hard edges nearby, child can't fall). The child has no memory of the event in the morning and is not psychologically harmed by it. Night terrors are distressing to witness but benign in outcome.
Should I wake my child during a night terror?
No — waking a child during a night terror is difficult and usually counterproductive. The child is in a deep sleep state and forced waking tends to produce confusion, further distress, and extended settling time. Stay nearby for safety, speak calmly (even if the child doesn't respond), avoid restraining unless necessary for safety, and wait for the episode to pass (typically 5-15 minutes). The child will return to normal sleep without full waking.
What causes night terrors in children?
Night terrors are caused by partial arousals from slow-wave (deep) sleep and tend to run in families — there is a strong genetic component. They are more common when a child is overtired, has a fever or illness, or when the sleep schedule has been disrupted. Ensuring adequate total sleep and a consistent sleep schedule reduces frequency. In most children, night terrors resolve naturally by adolescence as sleep architecture matures.
My child has nightmares every night. Is that normal?
Occasional nightmares are normal from age 2-3 onward; nightly nightmares are less typical and may indicate elevated anxiety, exposure to scary content, or significant life stress. If nightmares are frequent (multiple per week) and persistent (lasting more than a month), causing significant distress or sleep avoidance, it's worth discussing with a paediatrician or child psychologist. Nightmare disorder is treatable, often through imagery rehearsal therapy.
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