Getting a toddler to sleep through the night can be a struggle. Although there are things you as a parent can do to keep their routines as consistent as possible, ensure they’re comfortable and more, sometimes things happen that can affect their sleep. One of those things is nightmares and night terrors.

Nightmares and night terrors are more common than you may think, but they can be scary to witness.

Keep reading below about how to identify nightmares and night terrors, as well as strategies for helping your child overcome them.

Nightmares are frightening dreams that often happen later in the night, during the second half of your child’s sleep cycle. Your child may wake up crying or scared and may have trouble falling back to sleep. After your child has had a bad dream, ensure you go to them as quickly as you can and assure them that you are there and won’t let anyone hurt them and encourage your child to tell you what happened in the dream and remind them that dreams aren’t real and that they are safe. If your child feels more comfortable with leaving a light on, allow them too and encourage them to go back to sleep. Some investigative work may be necessary to see if something external is scaring your child and do what you can to make them go away, for example, a freaky looking shadow that can be eliminated by adding an extra nightlight or tidying up.

Night terrors on the other hand occur most frequently in toddlers and preschoolers and take place during the deepest stages of your child’s sleep, usually during the earlier parts of the night even before their parent’s bed time. They may last as long as 45 minutes, but most of the time they are shorter. Most kids go back to sleep quickly after experiencing a night terror, as they may have not actually been awake during it.

During night terrors your child may:

• Be crying uncontrollably
• Be sweaty, shaky, or may breathe fast
• Have a terrified, confused, or glassy eyed look
• Thrash around, scream, kick or stare off into space
• Not recognize you or realize you are there trying to comfort them
• Push you away, especially if you try to hold them

 What can I do if my child is experiencing a night terror?

 Night terrors can almost be scarier for parents witnessing than for the child themselves.

Some important things to remember when helping your child through a night terror episode are:

• Stay calm.
• Don’t try to wake your child.
• Make sure your child cannot hurt themselves. If they try to get out of bed, gently restrain them to ensure they stay safe.
• Remember that night terrors are temporary and that children often go back to sleep swiftly and relax quietly again. If your child has night terrors, make sure you communicate this information to any of your child’s other caregivers. If they persist, talk with your child’s doctor to come up with a plan to help your child get through them.

Paying attention to your child’s sleep habits can help give you indicators into their behavior. If you are concerned about your child, try to keep a sleep diary for them so you can track possible triggers, or other issues surrounding sleep. Be sure to include information such as:

• Where your child sleeps (in their room in their bed, with you, etc.)
• How much sleep you think they typically get each night
• What they need to fall asleep, such as a blankie, favorite toy etc.
• How long it takes them to fall asleep
• What you do to comfort them when they wake up during the night
• Time and length of naps, if applicable
• Any changes or stressors in the home

Track this info for a few weeks and see if you can uncover any patterns and make an appointment with your doctor if needed. Keep in mind that sleep problems are very common, and with some time and patience, you and your child can overcome them together.