What Not to Do with Night Terrors: Key Mistakes to Avoid?

What Not to Do with Night Terrors: Key Mistakes to Avoid

Understanding Night Terrors: Why You Need to Be Careful

Honestly, if you've ever dealt with night terrors, you know it can be really unsettling. It’s not just a bad dream; it’s a terrifying experience, and when it's your child or loved one, it’s even more heart-wrenching. I remember the first time my daughter had one. I thought she was having a nightmare, but it was way worse than I imagined. Night terrors are different from regular nightmares, and what you do (or don’t do) during one can make a huge difference.

So, what should you not do when faced with night terrors? Well, the truth is, your instincts might lead you in the wrong direction. It’s easy to panic and make the situation worse. Let’s go over the biggest mistakes people make.

Don’t Wake Them Up!

The Urge to Wake Them

One of the biggest mistakes I made during the first night terror incident was trying to wake my daughter. Honestly, I thought, “If she’s screaming, she must be in pain, I should wake her up.” But guess what? That’s the absolute worst thing you can do.

During a night terror, the person is actually in a deep stage of sleep, usually the non-REM phase, and their brain is partially awake but not fully. Waking them can cause confusion, frustration, and can even make the episode last longer. I felt guilty after I tried to shake her awake – she was disoriented and upset for a while, and I realized later that it just made the situation more intense.

What You Should Do Instead

So, if you’re tempted to wake someone in the middle of a night terror, just resist. Instead, the best thing to do is stay calm and wait for it to pass. Most episodes are brief, lasting only a few minutes, so staying close to them but not engaging too much will help. They’ll likely calm down on their own.

Don’t Try to Hold Them Down

The Danger of Physical Restraint

Okay, this one might seem obvious, but it’s important to mention. If someone is having a night terror and they’re thrashing around or screaming, it’s instinctive to want to hold them still, right? I mean, you want to keep them safe, especially if they’re moving around. But honestly, trying to physically restrain them can lead to more distress and even physical injury.

I tried to hold my daughter down once – just to stop her from flailing – and, man, that made her panic even more. She fought back and cried for what seemed like forever after. I felt awful.

What You Should Do Instead

The best approach is to stay near them and speak softly (but not too much, as they might not be fully aware of you). You can gently guide them away from potential dangers, like sharp corners or hard objects, but never restrain them. Let them experience the terror until it passes, and they’ll be less disoriented afterward.

Don’t Ignore the Triggers

The Importance of Identifying Triggers

This is one thing I wish I had learned earlier. Night terrors often have triggers – stress, sleep deprivation, fever, or a change in routine. Ignoring these triggers can increase the frequency of episodes. After I saw my daughter go through several episodes, I realized that her night terrors seemed worse when she was overtired or after a stressful day at school.

Honestly, I didn’t think much about her daily routine until I spoke to a sleep therapist. They pointed out that too many changes or a lack of a consistent sleep schedule could cause her brain to react this way.

What You Should Do Instead

Track any patterns or triggers. If your loved one is getting fewer hours of sleep, or if something stressful is going on in their life, try to manage those things better. A calm, predictable bedtime routine can do wonders to reduce the frequency of night terrors.

Don’t Overreact to the Episode

The Emotional Rollercoaster

I get it. Seeing someone go through a night terror can be scary, especially if it’s your child. It’s easy to panic or overreact, but that only adds to the tension. I was so anxious during the first episode that I started asking a million questions, thinking I could somehow fix it in the moment. It was too much for my daughter, and that didn’t help at all.

What You Should Do Instead

Stay calm. Your calm energy will help reassure the person having the night terror, and it’ll also help you handle the situation better. I’ve learned that the more relaxed you stay, the easier it is to help them through the episode. It’s okay to feel concerned, but don’t let that overwhelm you.

Don’t Forget to Follow Up the Next Morning

The Aftermath

Okay, here’s one mistake that I didn’t expect. After a night terror, everything feels like it’s back to normal once the person wakes up, right? Wrong. The emotional aftermath is often more significant than we realize. My daughter would often feel scared or confused the next morning, and I never thought to talk about it with her.

What You Should Do Instead

Talk to them the next day. Gently ask them how they’re feeling, and make sure they know that they’re safe. Sometimes, they might not even remember the terror, but it helps them to know you were there for them. This helps build reassurance and can make the next episode easier to handle.

Conclusion: Stay Calm and Be Supportive

Night terrors are intense, and what you do in the moment matters. Try not to wake the person, don’t hold them down, and avoid reacting too strongly. Instead, wait it out, manage triggers, stay calm, and talk about it afterward.

Dealing with night terrors can be tough, but with a little patience and understanding, you can help reduce the frequency and severity of episodes. Trust me, it gets easier as you learn what to do – and what not to do.

Is 165 cm normal for a 15 year old?

The predicted height for a female, based on your parents heights, is 155 to 165cm. Most 15 year old girls are nearly done growing. I was too. It's a very normal height for a girl.

Is 160 cm too tall for a 12 year old?

How Tall Should a 12 Year Old Be? We can only speak to national average heights here in North America, whereby, a 12 year old girl would be between 137 cm to 162 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/3 feet). A 12 year old boy should be between 137 cm to 160 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/4 feet).

How tall is a average 15 year old?

Average Height to Weight for Teenage Boys - 13 to 20 Years

How to get taller at 18?

Staying physically active is even more essential from childhood to grow and improve overall health. But taking it up even in adulthood can help you add a few inches to your height. Strength-building exercises, yoga, jumping rope, and biking all can help to increase your flexibility and grow a few inches taller.

Is 5.7 a good height for a 15 year old boy?

Generally speaking, the average height for 15 year olds girls is 62.9 inches (or 159.7 cm). On the other hand, teen boys at the age of 15 have a much higher average height, which is 67.0 inches (or 170.1 cm).

Can you grow between 16 and 18?

Most girls stop growing taller by age 14 or 15. However, after their early teenage growth spurt, boys continue gaining height at a gradual pace until around 18. Note that some kids will stop growing earlier and others may keep growing a year or two more.

Can you grow 1 cm after 17?

Even with a healthy diet, most people's height won't increase after age 18 to 20. The graph below shows the rate of growth from birth to age 20. As you can see, the growth lines fall to zero between ages 18 and 20 ( 7 , 8 ). The reason why your height stops increasing is your bones, specifically your growth plates.