Sleepwalking, Sleep Talking and Night Terrors: Kids and Adults (Video)

Transcript

Ever wonder why a child screams awake at 11 pm?

Ever wonder why a child screams awake at 11 pm?

Night Terrors & Sleepwalking

We'll walk through why kids sometimes sit up screaming, talk in their sleep, or wander at night, and end with a simple safety tip you can use tonight.

What’s happening?

All three are parasomnias that arise from the deepest sleep stage, which dominates the first third of the night. The brain is half in deep sleep, half awake, so the body can move or speak while the thinking part stays off.

Age milestones

Babies under a year just grunt and twitch. From one to three years, confused half-waking and sleep talking appear. The highest rate of night terrors is between three and six, and sleepwalking peaks from six to twelve, usually fading by the teens.

Frequent episodes

If the episodes happen two or more nights a week for over a month, it’s time to check with a doctor.

Safety-proof the night

You can’t stop an episode, but you can keep everyone safe. Put frequent sleepwalkers on a mattress on the floor, lock the front door and keep keys out of reach, and gate the top of the stairs for younger kids.

During an episode

Stay quiet and avoid shaking or holding tightly. A child in a night terror will fight, and a held child gets more agitated. Gently steer them back to bed and let the episode pass.

Adjust bedtime

Moving bedtime just half an hour earlier for two weeks can reduce deep-sleep episodes, because overtired kids slip into deeper sleep.

The one night safety tip

The single most effective habit is to lock the bedroom door and keep keys out of reach, preventing a wandering child from stepping out during an episode.

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Read the full guide

Read the complete guide on thecareonline.com. This is general information, not medical advice.