There are many different sleep disturbances that can upset your family’s routine. Nightmares and Night Terrors, although very different, can both impact negatively on the sleep of you and your children. So, what are the differences between the two and what can be implemented to help?
What are nightmares?
Nightmares are by far the more common sleep disturbance and almost all children (and adults) experience or have experienced nightmares! The NHS website defines nightmares as: ‘bad dreams you wake up from and can remember.’ They usually occur during the ‘REM’ sleep stage, when your brain is very active. This is why nightmares seem so vivid and real.
So, how and when do nightmares start? Many experts believe that nightmares begin at between ages 3-6 years. They can be very scary at such a young age, particularly if it is the first time your child is experiencing one! During my time working with little ones and their families, I have regularly been asked how best to support children after a bad nightmare. Below I have compiled a list of handy hints and tips for the next time your little one has a bad dream:
- Comfort and reassure your child: Feeling safe and reassured will help your little one to relax back into sleep.
- If your child wants to talk about their nightmare, let them. Sometimes, talking it through with an adult can help to understand what is real and what is in our imagination.
- Look at sleep routines and environment: Is your child’s sleep routine relaxing and calming to promote a positive sleep experience? Familiar routines such as bath time, story, and a cuddle before they go to bed can help children to feel safe in their sleep environment. Is the room dark? Are they having an age-appropriate amount of sleep? These are all factors that can hinder quality sleep.
- Has something changed? Think about if something is different for your child. Are they unwell? Have they seen or watched something scary? Was there a sudden noise that could have startled them? These are all common causes of nightmares for little ones and so worth considering when combatting bad dreams.
- Speak about the nightmare in the daytime: If your child wants to, discuss the nightmare once more during the day. The age old saying that things always seem worse at night is true! As adults, how many times might we lay awake worrying about something that does not seem nearly half as bad in the morning. Usually this is the same for children too. If they are willing to, talk through their nightmare once more and hopefully their nightmare will not seem as frightening.
- Limit screentime: It is great practise to turn off screens at least an hour before bedtime. Not only is this great for a restful night, but it also will help to prevent nightmares born of vivid or scary things they may have seen on the TV or tablet.
- Adjust bedtimes: If your child is having recurrent nightmares, they are likely to be becoming overtired. Bringing bedtimes forward slightly can help to ensure they get the optimal amount of sleep they need.
What are night terrors?
Unlike nightmares, night terrors are mainly experienced by children. They are also hereditary, meaning if someone in the family experiences them, you are more likely to experience them too.
The NHS website advises seeing your GP if: ‘your child has night terrors several times a night or has them most nights’. They also advise visiting the doctor if your child is having regular or recurrent nightmares.
So, what are night terrors? They are defined as a sleep disorder and usually occur around 2 hours after going to bed during deep sleep (also known as NREM). Night terrors are rare in comparison with nightmares but do occur in children from ages 2-12 usually.
Unlike a nightmare, it is very hard to comfort a child during a night terror as they are in a deeper state of sleep. Sometimes, trying to calm your child can make a night terror worse. With that in mind, what can actually be done when it comes to night terrors? Here are my top tips for dealing with them:
- A calm and relaxing sleep routine and environment. With both nightmares and night terrors, this can be helpful!
- This can seem really alien but wait until your child’s night terror is finished. As a parent, the first thing we want to do is comfort our child but this can be detrimental when it comes to night terrors. Instead, waiting for your child to calm down and remaining calm yourself is the most effective approach.
- If the night terror usually happens at the same time each night, the NHS website suggests waking your child 15 minutes before to prevent the night terror from happening.
- Only stop your child if they (or someone else) are in immediate danger: This also seems incredibly unnatural, but unless your child is going to hurt themselves or someone else it is best to ride out the night terror without interrupting it by speaking to them or waking them.
- Speak to your GP: As with most medical conditions, it is important to speak to medical professionals when dealing with genetic conditions.
We hope you have found this advice on night terrors and nightmares useful. Do follow us on our social media channels for top tips on giving your family the quality sleep they deserve.
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