Patient Basics: Sleepwalking and Sleep Terrors

Sleepwalking and sleep terrors (night terrors) happen when part of the brain wakes up from deep sleep while the rest stays asleep. A sleepwalker may sit up, walk around or even leave the house with no memory of it. A child in a sleep terror may scream and thrash but can’t be comforted. Both are common in children, are rarely a sign of anything serious, and usually fade by the teen years.

Key points

• Episodes usually happen in the first few hours after falling asleep, during deep, non-dreaming sleep.
• Too little sleep, stress, fever and a full bladder are common triggers. They tend to run in families.
• Don’t try to shake someone awake. Calmly guide them back to bed.
• Make the home safe: lock doors and windows and block stairs.
• Episodes that start in adulthood, cause injury or happen most nights should be checked by a doctor.

What sleepwalking and sleep terrors look like

Sleepwalking

A person who is sleepwalking often has open eyes with a blank, glassy look. They may walk around, talk, open doors, eat or move things, usually in a clumsy way. They may not answer when spoken to, or may answer with nonsense. Episodes last from a few seconds to half an hour, and the person rarely remembers them. Doctors call it somnambulism.

Sleep terrors

During a sleep terror, a child suddenly sits up, screams or cries, and looks terrified. Their heart races, they breathe fast and they may sweat. They can kick or thrash and push away a parent who tries to help. Most episodes last a few minutes. Afterward the child falls back asleep and doesn’t remember it in the morning. Sleep terrors are most common in preschool and early school-age children.

How they differ from nightmares

Nightmares happen later in the night, during dreaming (REM) sleep. The person wakes fully, can be comforted, and often remembers the scary dream. Sleep terrors happen early in the night, the person stays asleep, and there’s no dream to recall.

What causes sleepwalking and sleep terrors

A child’s brain spends a lot of time in deep sleep, and the switch between sleep stages isn’t fully mature. That’s why these episodes are so common in childhood. Having a parent who sleepwalked raises a child’s chance. Things that make episodes more likely include:

• Not getting enough sleep, or an irregular sleep schedule
• Stress, worry or big changes at home or school
• Fever or illness
• A full bladder, noise or sleeping somewhere new
• Sleep problems that keep interrupting deep sleep, such as obstructive sleep apnea or restless legs
• Some medicines, especially sleeping pills such as zolpidem, eszopiclone and zaleplon. These carry an FDA warning about sleepwalking, sleep-driving and other complex behaviors.
• Alcohol or drugs, in teens and adults

What to do during an episode

• Stay calm. Don’t shout, shake or restrain the person unless they’re in danger.
• Gently steer a sleepwalker back to bed, speaking softly.
• During a sleep terror, stay close to keep your child from getting hurt. Hugging or talking usually won’t help, and the episode will end on its own.
• In the morning, don’t make a big deal of it. Teasing or worry can add stress and make episodes more likely.

Keeping the home safe

• Lock outside doors and windows. A bell or alarm on the bedroom or front door can alert you.
• Put a gate at the top of the stairs.
• Don’t let a child who sleepwalks sleep on a top bunk.
• Clear the floor of toys and clutter, and put away sharp objects and car keys.
• A night-light in the hallway can help prevent falls.

How sleepwalking and sleep terrors are treated

Most children need no treatment beyond good sleep habits and a safe home.

• More and steadier sleep. School-age children need about 9 to 12 hours a night, and teens about 8 to 10. Keep the same bedtime and wake time every day, including weekends.
• A calm bedtime routine. Turn off screens an hour before bed, and have your child use the bathroom just before lights out.
• Scheduled waking. If episodes happen at about the same time each night, gently wake your child about 15 to 30 minutes beforehand, then let them fall back asleep. Doing this nightly for a few weeks can break the pattern.
• Treating other sleep problems. If your child snores loudly or stops breathing in sleep, treating sleep apnea, sometimes by removing large tonsils and adenoids, often stops the episodes.
• Help with stress. Counseling or cognitive behavioral therapy can help children and adults when worry or stress is a trigger.
• Medicine. This is rarely needed. For adults with frequent or dangerous episodes, a doctor may suggest a medicine such as clonazepam or certain antidepressants, after looking for other causes. Stopping a sleeping pill that triggers episodes may be enough.

When to see a doctor

• Episodes happen several times a week, or most nights
• Someone gets hurt, leaves the house, or acts violently during an episode
• Sleepwalking starts in adulthood, or returns after years
• There’s loud snoring, gasping in sleep or heavy daytime sleepiness
• Episodes include stiffening, jerking, tongue biting or wetting, which could be seizures
• An adult acts out vivid dreams, such as punching or kicking, later in the night. This can be a different condition called REM sleep behavior disorder.

Your doctor may suggest an overnight sleep study with video to see what’s happening during sleep.

Common questions about sleepwalking

Is it dangerous to wake a sleepwalker?

Waking a sleepwalker won’t harm them, but it can leave them confused, frightened or upset, and some people lash out. It’s usually better to calmly guide them back to bed. If they’re heading toward danger, such as stairs or an open door, step in and gently redirect them.

Can sleepwalking be dangerous?

Yes, sometimes. Most episodes are harmless, but sleepwalkers can fall down stairs, walk through windows, go outside in the cold or, rarely, drive a car. Extreme sleepwalking with injuries, violence or leaving home needs a doctor’s visit, along with steps to make the home safe.

Do children grow out of sleepwalking and night terrors?

Most do. Sleep terrors usually stop by the early school years, and sleepwalking often fades in the teen years as deep sleep decreases. A small number of people keep sleepwalking into adulthood, especially if it runs in the family or they often go short on sleep.

Why do adults start sleepwalking?

Sleepwalking that begins in adulthood often has a trigger. Common ones are sleeping pills such as zolpidem, sleep apnea, serious lack of sleep, stress, and alcohol. Less often, a neurological condition is involved. Because the causes vary, adults who start sleepwalking should see a doctor.

Questions to ask your doctor

• Is this sleepwalking, a sleep terror or something else?
• Could a medicine or another sleep problem be causing it?
• Do I or my child need a sleep study?
• Would scheduled waking help?
• What else can I do to keep my home safe at night?

Learn more

• Sleepwalking (MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine)
• Night terrors and nightmares (NHS)

This guide is general information and doesn’t replace advice from your own doctor. Last updated October 2026.