Night terrors are a sleeping disorder more common in children than in adults. Scientists today are still unsure of the direct causes of night terrors. However, most of them believe that night terrors are not a sign of mental illness, or of physical abuse. The main cause for night terrors in children is believed to be their suddenly developing imagination, beginning at the age of 2 and up. In scientific terms, that would be called overstimulation of the central nervous system while sleeping.
The night terrors usually occur early in the night, between midnight and 2 am. The scientific term for such a sleeping disorder is parasomnia. The physical manifestations of night terrors are elevated heart beat, heavy breathing, screaming, and walking while asleep. Children suffering form night terrors will exhibit panic and inability to regain consciousness. The best things the parents can do is to ensure that there are no sharp objects or other safety hazards in the room. Parents may be tempted to wake the child from the disturbing dream, but doctors advise against this. Instead, you should leave the child to wake naturally, it its time. However, parents should talk to their child in a calming manner. Parents must refrain from panicking themselves. They should assure their child that it is a safe environment, and that is it OK to go back to sleep.
The reasons for night terrors in children can come from a stressful lifestyle, not enough of rest, or an unhealthy diet. Anxiety, constipation, and other similar health problems can be a trigger for night terrors. Often, sleep disorders in children are temporary, which means that the child will grow out of them in time. However, there are also some medical procedures and drugs which can ease the situation. If the parents judge that the situation is getting serious, or that a change of lifestyle brings no improvement to the situation. The available treatment options include psychotherapy and hypnosis as a way of discovering the trigger for night terrors. There are also some prescription medicines which are designed to relieve anxiety and stress. Ultimately, parents should consult a doctor when choosing the right approach to improving their child’s health.
Doctors have found night terrors to be disturbing, but not harmful events. Basically, they prevent parents from getting a good night’s sleep. They may also cause parents to be concerned and panicked. However, children are often unaware of their night terrors, and thus the biggest disturbance in their lives is whatever’s trigging the night terrors, not the night terrors themselves. It is up to the parents to decide when, and if, it is time to contact a doctor and choose a course of therapy. Besides traditional medical practices, there are also some methods of alternative medicine that claim to remedy the night terrors. It may be useful to look into those, as the main causes of night terrors are usually connected to some lifestyle issues, and thus can be improved dramatically.