What's the difference between night terrors and nightmares?

Why they look so different from the inside

Night terrors happen during deep, non-REM sleep, most often 1–3 hours after falling asleep. Your child may sit up, scream, thrash or appear wide-eyed and terrified, but they're genuinely not conscious — trying to wake or comfort them can prolong the episode and confuse them further. The kindest response is to ensure they can't hurt themselves, stay close, and wait; they typically settle back into sleep within a few minutes and won't remember it at all in the morning.

Nightmares happen during REM sleep, more common in the second half of the night, and genuinely wake your child — who will usually want you, remember the dream, and may be reluctant to go back to sleep alone.

What triggers them

Overtiredness, a disrupted routine, illness, or a change in the day (excitement, a new environment) are common triggers for both. An earlier, more consistent bedtime is the single most useful preventive step for night terrors specifically, since overtiredness is the biggest known trigger.

When to mention it to your GP

Very frequent night terrors, ones causing risk of injury, or terrors that continue well past the toddler years are worth raising — but occasional episodes in a toddler are developmentally normal and almost always outgrown.