At some point of time in every child's childhood they experience a frightful nightmare. These are quite common and can start off at the early age of two. It is the most common between the age of three and twelve and is also considered to be a part of the development process which is said to be normal. However some people do experience sleep terrors also. These can frighten the child to a great extent.

Nightmares are so frightful that they get people up from their sleep. Throughout a persons life he or she may have nightmares and it is not an issue that has to be given a lot of attention to.

Nightmares occur after quite a number of hours after you go to sleep. This happens in the REM stage where there is active dreaming and also body paralysis.

Children can have traces of these nightmares when they get up in the morning and also sometimes remember it through the day. Sometimes this may lead to a disorder of not letting the child sleep due to the fear of nightmares. Parents have to be reassuring and also be calm when this happens.

There is many a thing that parents can do to help prevent nightmares. Discussion of comforting and calm things before putting your child to bed will do a great deal. Telling stories or reading one for them is also a good idea. Make sure your child does not watch any sort of a violent movie on the television before going to bed. A relaxing bed time routine is needed. Sometimes, nightmares do show a severe emotional problem.

Night terrors often occur during the first few hours of sleep called the non REM sleep. They may occur at the same time every night. They can be characterized by moaning, screaming or crying. Many children sit up in bed and scream. Rapid breathing and an increase in heart rate is common. This may last to about an hour from ten minutes. The child's eye may be open but they actually are asleep. They may not have any clue of what happened the previous night when they are up the next morning.

Night terrors are frightening but are not dangerous at all. They do not show signs of mental distress. Do not try waking a child and comforting them at this time. Just make sure your child is safe. Night disorders disappear in a few years.

Some of the factors that may be the reasons for night terrors are staying up extremely late, being overly tired, taking certain medications or even having a heavy meal before retiring to bed.

Night terrors and nightmares may seem very harmful to both children as well as parents but there is nothing to worry as it is quite harmless.