What Is the Difference Between Night Terrors and Nightmares?

There's a common misconception that nightmares and night terrors are the same, when in fact they're two different types of sleep disorders. It's easy to see why you might confuse one for the other, as they both involve disturbing experiences during sleep.

We wrote this article to explain what each one is, how they differ and provide ways both adults and children can cope with them.

Key Takeaways

• Nightmares occur during REM sleep. People typically remember these disturbing, intense dreams. On the other hand, night terrors occur during deep non-REM sleep, trigger intense physical reactions and often aren't remembered.

• Both nightmares and night terrors are more common in children than in adults. Night terrors peak between ages 5 and 7 and decrease as a child ages, whereas nightmares can continue into adulthood.

• Nightmare and night terror coping strategies for both kids and adults include calming bedtime routines, stress management and ensuring a safe sleep environment. Seek professional help if episodes are frequent, disrupt daytime functioning or negatively impact mental health.

Table of Contents

• What Are Nightmares?

• What Are Night Terrors?

• How Can I Tell the Difference Between Nightmares and Night Terrors?

• How to Help a Child Cope With Nightmares

• How to Help a Child Cope With Night Terrors

• How to Cope With Nightmares and Night Terrors as an Adult

• Conclusion

• Frequently Asked Questions About the Difference Between Nightmares and Night Terrors

What Are Nightmares?

In a nutshell, nightmares are bad dreams that wake you up, often leaving behind a pervading sense of fear, anxiety, sadness, anger or even disgust. They're sometimes accompanied by sweating or a rapid heart rate. Nightmares occur during the rapid eye movement (REM) sleep stage, though they can occur during other stages in your sleep cycle.

Why we have nightmares is rooted in various factors, including stress and anxiety, and mental conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which is linked to recurring nightmares. Other factors include suffering from other sleep disorders like sleep apnea or narcolepsy, taking certain medications, and suffering from sleep deprivation. Even consuming certain foods, alcohol or caffeine before bedtime can trigger scary dreams.

How Common Are Nightmares?

It's normal for both adults and children to experience occasional nightmares, but they're more common in kids.

A 2024 systematic review published in Sleep Medicine Reviews revealed fascinating findings regarding nightmares in children. At the time of the review, researchers found that 1% to 11% of children experienced nightmares in the past week and 25% to 35% of children had nightmares in the past month. Furthermore, nightmare prevalence was found to peak among children aged 10 to 14 and decrease with age. It also found that girls experience nightmares more than boys.⁽¹⁾

Nightmares are common in adults as well. A study published in Sleep found that 5.1% of adults experienced frequent nightmares (at least once a week).⁽²⁾ Meanwhile, another study published in The American Journal of Psychology found that women experience more nightmares than men.⁽³⁾

What Are Night Terrors?

Also known as sleep terrors, night terrors are episodes of intense panic and fear that occur during non-REM sleep. They usually occur in the first half of the night and involve movements such as kicking, screaming, thrashing, or sitting up in bed with your eyes open. They may also involve making unpredictable sounds, such as shouting or screaming.

Your brain is half awake and half asleep during night terrors. However, you'll likely have no memory of them when you wake up. Sleep terrors can last anywhere from 60 seconds to 30 minutes, and are often terrifying for a bed partner who witnesses the episodes.

What Causes Night Terrors?

Night terrors occur due to a combination of several factors, including stress and anxiety, sleep deprivation, illness, certain medications, genetics and other sleep disorders.

Here are some of the most common risk factors:

• Stress and anxiety - When you are stressed or anxious, your brain remains alert during sleep, and your stress hormone levels are elevated, disrupting your sleep cycle. These disruptions, in turn, lead to partial arousals that might trigger night terrors.

• Sleep deprivation - When you finally go to bed after being sleep-deprived or overly tired, your brain enters the deep sleep stage (also known as slow-wave sleep) more quickly and intensely, a phenomenon known as "sleep rebound." This phenomenon causes partial arousals, leading to sleep terrors.

• Illness - Your body's temperature fluctuates when you have a fever. These fluctuations disrupt your sleep cycle, making it difficult to transition between sleep stages. Your body also releases inflammatory chemicals called cytokines when you're ill, which increase deep sleep but also make your brain more vulnerable to partial arousals. The combination of these factors can trigger night terrors.

• Certain medications - Medications such as sedatives, antidepressants, antipsychotics, sleep aids, stimulants and those used for managing blood pressure can increase your risk for night terrors. While they do so through different mechanisms, the common thread is that they disrupt your sleep architecture, increasing the likelihood of partial arousals that trigger sleep terrors. The use of recreational drugs can also cause night terrors because they also cause sleep cycle disruptions.

• Genetics - You might be predisposed to night terrors if they run in your family. One study published by The British Journal of Psychiatry found that 96% of those frequently experiencing night terrors had other family members who experienced either night terrors, sleepwalking or both, suggesting a genetic predisposition.⁽⁴⁾

• Other sleep disorders - Conditions such as restless legs syndrome (RLS) and sleep apnea can increase the likelihood of night terrors by causing fragmented sleep. Frequent sleep interruptions can lead to partial arousals during deep sleep, which can trigger sleep terrors.

How Common Are Night Terrors?

Night terrors are relatively common, affecting both adults and children. However, they're more prevalent in children.

According to a review published in Current Pediatric Reviews, approximately 1% to 6.5% children aged 1 to 12 experience night terrors. However, they're usually more common in children aged 4 to 12, peaking between ages 5 and 7.⁽⁵⁾ The frequency of sleep terrors decreases as kids age.

Night terrors aren't as common in adults, affecting only about 2.2% of the adult population, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. They're even less common in adults over 65.⁽⁶⁾

How Can I Tell the Difference Between Nightmares and Night Terrors?

There are several key differences between night terrors and nightmares:

Nightmares usually take place during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, while night terrors occur while you're in non-REM sleep. Nightmares are common in both children and adults; night terrors are less common. However, both parasomnias are more prevalent in children.

A nightmare is a disturbing dream that leaves you feeling frightened, sad or even disgusted when you wake up. You usually remember your nightmares. On the other hand, sleep terrors involve intense movements and vocalizations, and you'll have no recollection of the experience when you wake up.

When it comes to triggers, nightmares are often linked to psychological stressors, trauma associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and mood disorders. Night terrors are more associated with sleep disruptions, fragmented sleep caused by other sleep disorders, genetics and illness.

How to Help a Child Cope With Nightmares

You can help a child cope with their nightmare by creating a safe space where they can be soothed and heard. Nightmares can be a terrifying experience for children because they remember their bad dream when they wake up.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

• Let them know that you're willing to listen and reassure them that it was just a dream to help them fall asleep again.

• Prevent nightmares by helping your child establish a calming bedtime routine that includes activities like cuddling, relaxing bedtime stories and listening to soothing sleep tunes a few minutes before they fall asleep.

• Allow your child to sleep with a security blanket or stuffed toy. The familiar comfort will help younger children feel safe when they wake up distressed from a nightmare. Consider putting a night light in their rooms. Manta TrueRed Night Light has a red light that won't disrupt your child's sleep cycle.

• Help them learn how to calm their minds and bodies by engaging in simple breathing exercises or asking them to imagine a situation or place that makes them happy and calm. Try meditation for sleep for kids.

• They should avoid watching scary movies or TV shows before bedtime. That said, make sure they put away their gadgets at least 2 hours before going to bed.

• Support your child if they feel family stress, or are moving to a new home or school. Often, the stress and daytime fears they experience can manifest as nightmares.

• Older children might benefit from keeping a dream journal or visualizing their nightmares through drawing. This may help them process the negative emotions stemming from bad dreams.

• The one thing you should never do when your child has a nightmare is to make them feel bad about it. It isn't their fault. Don't reprimand or punish them because it will only make a fearful child feel more anxious and potentially lead to even more nightmares.

• If your child's nightmares persist, are distressful and affect how they function during the day, consider seeking professional help. A pediatrician or child psychologist can help identify the root cause and prescribe specific therapies, such as image rehearsal therapy (IRT), which involves rehearsing a more positive ending for recurring nightmares to reduce their emotional impact.

How to Help a Child Cope With Night Terrors

The strategies that help a child cope with night terrors are similar to those that help them cope with nightmares. Here's a quick summary of tips that apply:

• Establish a regular, calming bedtime routine and help your child follow it.

• Encourage your child to engage in relaxing activities, such as breathing exercises or meditation, before bedtime.

• Don't allow them to watch frightening movies before bedtime.

• Put a cap on their screen time. Make them put their gadgets away at least 2 hours before going to bed.

• Never scold your child for having a night terror. Remember, they won't recall having them.

• Consult a psychologist or a pediatrician if your child experiences frequent night terrors to identify any underlying conditions.

Here are also some coping strategies that are unique to night terrors:

• Keep calm and help your child feel safe. Children aren't fully awake when they experience night terrors. This can be a terrifying experience for a parent. It's important not to panic. You might feel the need to force them awake. Don't, because it may prolong a child's night terror. Wait it out while making sure they're safe.

• Clear your child's sleeping space of sharp or dangerous objects that could hurt them during night terrors. A sleeping area that minimizes safety concerns is necessary.

• Night terrors can sometimes involve unusual movements, such as sleepwalking. Your child is at risk of accidents, such as falling down the stairs. Consider keeping your bedroom door open, so you can hear any movement from their room to help your child return to bed.

• If your child is too young, you can keep a sleep diary for them to track when night terrors occur. Providing a sleep specialist with this information can help them identify patterns and determine whether underlying health issues are present.

  Your child's healthcare provider may recommend scheduled awakening, in which you wake your child before the time when their night terrors usually occur.

How to Cope With Nightmares and Night Terrors as an Adult

Understanding their causes is key to managing or reducing night terrors or nightmares as an adult.

Let's explore some helpful techniques and strategies:

• Stick to a consistent sleep schedule - Hitting the sack and waking up at the same time each day helps regulate your internal clock and improve overall sleep quality, reducing the risk of sleep disruptions that might trigger nightmares or night terrors.

• Establish good sleep hygiene habits - Prevent night terrors and nightmares by making sure you have the best sleeping environment. Your bedroom should be quiet, cool and dark. If you can't control external light and noise, use an excellent sleep mask, earplugs, or a white noise machine. Your bedroom should also be safe if you have night terrors, cleared of sharp or dangerous objects. Other good sleep hygiene habits include avoiding alcohol, large meals and caffeine before bedtime. Also, put your gadgets away at least 2 hours before bed.

• Address stress and anxiety - Engage in relaxing activities before bedtime, such as meditation, yoga or breathing exercises. Remember that stress and anxiety can trigger night terrors and nightmares.

• Don't expose yourself to triggers - Same as with children, adults should avoid frightening media before bedtime. You should also avoid difficult conversations or situations that might stress you out. These can trigger nightmares or night terrors.

• Don't hesitate to get professional help - Adult night terrors aren't uncommon, and nightmares are even more prevalent. If your nightmares and night terrors are frequent, severe or are impacting your mental health and daytime functioning, see a doctor or therapist. They can provide tailored advice or prescribe therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or adjust your medications (if that's what's causing either of these parasomnias). IRT is also helpful for processing trauma linked to recurring nightmares.

• Teach yourself to self-soothe - Waking up from a nightmare doesn't just involve negative emotions; you may also be confused about whether the dream was real. Ground yourself as soon as you wake up by focusing, holding a familiar object (like your blanket), touching something solid and repeating to yourself: "It was just a bad dream." Night terrors are different because you won't remember them when you wake up, so focus on creating a safe sleeping space.

• Don’t force them to wake up - This applies to those who are sharing a bed or room with a partner who experiences adult night terrors. Stay close and wait it out. If they are making intense movements, clear away any objects that might injure them. If they get up and move around, gently guide them back into bed.

Conclusion

Nightmares and night terrors are sleep disorders affecting both children and adults, differing in causes, behaviors and memory recall.

Managing them starts with understanding their root causes, using appropriate coping strategies, and consulting a healthcare provider if episodes happen too often or are disruptive.

Simple lifestyle tweaks, such as calming bedtime routines, stress management and a safe sleep environment, can help restore restful and normal sleep. If you experience nightmares or night terrors, share your tips by leaving a comment below to help others who do, too.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Difference Between Nightmares and Night Terrors

How Do I Know if I’m Having Nightmares or Night Terrors?

You'll know you're having a nightmare if you wake up feeling disturbed from a bad dream. You'll only know you're having a night terror if your bed partner or someone in your household witnesses you making intense movements or sounds while you're still asleep.

How Do I Tell if My Child Is Having Nightmares or Night Terrors?

You can tell your child is having a nightmare when they wake up from a bad dream, which they typically remember.

You can tell your child is having a night terror when you see them making intense movements, such as thrashing or flailing their legs and arms. You might also hear your child talk, shout or scream while still asleep. They will not remember the experience when they wake up.

Are Night Terrors Just Really Intense Nightmares?

No, night terrors aren't just really intense nightmares. Night terrors involve extreme physical movements, such as kicking, thrashing and even making distressed sounds while still asleep, which you won't recall when you wake up. Nightmares are disturbing dreams that leave you distressed upon awakening. You usually recall nightmares.

Can Adults Have Night Terrors, or Are They Only in Children?

Yes, adults can have night terrors, too, though less frequently than kids do.

Can Sleep Deprivation Cause Night Terrors?

Yes, sleep deprivation is a common trigger for night terrors because of a phenomenon called "sleep rebound." It's essential to get enough sleep because when you lack sleep or are overly tired, your brain prioritizes the deep sleep stage to recover, making it hard to transition out of it. Sleep rebound can lead to partial arousals, making your brain partly awake and triggering night terrors.

Are Night Terrors Genetic?

Yes, night terrors can be genetic. Research has found that parasomnias run in families. People with night terrors often have family members who also experience them, sleepwalk or both.

Will My Child Outgrow Night Terrors?

Yes, most children will outgrow their night terrors in late adolescence or sooner. In general, night terrors will resolve on their own as your child's brain matures and their sleep patterns become more regular.

Should You Wake Someone Up During a Night Terror?

No, you should not wake someone up during a night terror. Instead, wait it out or guide them gently back to bed if they are moving around. Waking them up may make them more confused and distressed, prolonging the episode.

Sources:  

(1) "A systematic review of Nightmare prevalence in children.” Sleep Medicine Reviews, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1087079223000904. Accessed 14 January 2026.

(2) “Prevalence and Correlates of Frequent Nightmares: A Community-Based 2-Phase Study.” Sleep, academic.oup.com/sleep/article-abstract/33/6/774/2454580. Accessed 14 January 2026.

(3) “Explaining the Gender Difference in Nightmare Frequency.” The American Journal of Psychology, scholarlypublishingcollective.org/uip/ajp/article-abstract/127/2/205/258063/Explaining-the-Gender-Difference-in-Nightmare. Accessed 14 January 2026.

(4) “Hereditary Factors in Sleepwalking and Night Terrors.” The British Journal of Psychiatry, www.cambridge.org/core/journals/the-british-journal-of-psychiatry/article/abs/hereditary-factors-in-sleepwalking-and-night-terrors/5795947B047A22F9DC851EB23CE6681D. Accessed 15 January 2026.

(5) “Sleep Terrors: An Updated Review.” Current Pediatric Reviews, pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8193803/. Accessed 15 January 2026.

(6) “Nightmares & Other Disturbing Parasomnias.” American Academy of Sleep Medicine, aasm.org/resources/factsheets/nightmareparasom.pdf. Accessed 19 January 2026.

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