Does your child wake up screaming in the middle of the night, but doesn't seem fully awake? It may not be just a nightmare.
I'm Jill Ali, a nurse practitioner at Golden Gate Health. Many parents confuse nightmares with night terrors. They can look similar from the outside, but they're actually quite different, and knowing which one you're seeing can make those middle-of-the-night moments a little less confusing.
It Comes Down to the Stage of Sleep
The key difference is when during sleep each one happens:
- Night terrors happen during a deeper stage of sleep.
Because they occur in different stages of sleep, children experience them, and remember them, very differently.
What a Nightmare Looks Like
When a child has a nightmare, they usually:
- Wake up
- Remember the dream the next day
In other words, your child is aware of what happened and can often tell you about the bad dream afterward.
What a Night Terror Looks Like
A night terror can look much more dramatic. Your child may scream in the middle of the night, but they aren't fully awake.
Because night terrors happen in a different, deeper stage of sleep, children generally don't remember the episode at all. Your child may have no memory of it the next morning, even if it was very upsetting for you to watch.
Nightmare or Night Terror? A Quick Comparison
- Awake? With a nightmare, your child usually wakes up. With a night terror, they aren't fully awake.
- Memory: After a nightmare, children usually remember the dream. After a night terror, they generally don't remember it at all.
For Parents: You're Not Alone
Night terrors can be very disturbing and very scary for parents to witness. Understanding that your child is in a deep stage of sleep, and likely won't remember the episode, can help you make sense of what you're seeing.
If you have questions or concerns about your child's sleep, your pediatric provider is a great place to start. Our team is happy to talk through what you're noticing.
This article is for general education and isn't a substitute for personal medical advice. If you have questions about your child's sleep, talk with your provider or schedule a visit with our team.