Night terrors
Is there anyone on here that knows how to help my sister with the night terrors she has? I want to help so bad but idk what to do for her.
Is there anyone on here that knows how to help my sister with the night terrors she has? I want to help so bad but idk what to do for her.
Replies
It would be best that your foster parents help her because they can physically be there with her. She needs physical comfort and verbal reassurance before, during, and after a night terror. Can you talk to your foster parents about them helping her?
Yea I can. Thought people here can help explain to me what happens and what to do for her.
I know it's extremely scary to witness your sister having a night terror, and you probably feel powerless when it's happening. I'm really sorry that you both are being impacted. As much as you care about her and want to help, there is very little that you can do.
Night terrors are very common in people who have been through traumatic events. Your sister faced threats to her safety over an extended period of time. When people fear for their lives, they go into "fight or flight" mode. During the deep sleep stage, your sister is partly waking up, and her brain is automatically going into "fight or flight." Essentially, she is reliving her trauma through physical and emotional experiences of terror, but while she is sleeping.
Night terrors are very different from nightmares. After a nightmare, a person is awake and can be comforted. However, when your sister is flailing, kicking, and screaming during a night terror, she is still asleep. This makes what is happening potentially dangerous, because she has no control over what is going on. In fact, she may not remember most of what happened.
When your sister has a night terror, it is best to let your foster parents know. It is good for them to be present, in case they need to take action to ensure her safety. Once you have told them, you can return and talk to her in a soft and calm voice, but do not try to wake her up. You can keep a sleep journal for her, noting when the night terrors are happening, and she can share this with her therapist. If her night terrors follow a pattern (for example, after she has been asleep for three hours each time), her therapist can offer suggestions on how to break that pattern.
You can also help her by encouraging her to get plenty of sleep, because sleep deprivation makes night terrors worse. Stress also increases their frequency and severity. So, anything she can do to relax prior to going to bed may be helpful. Most importantly, you can reassure her in the morning that it's OK that she has night terrors and that you understand it's out of her control. Remind her that you will always be there for her, no matter what. This will mean more to her than anything else that you do.
She is lucky to have you as a sister (and vice versa). Big hugs.
Just comfort will help. Someone to lay next to here or at least be in the same room, might help. Good luck. Hugs to both of you.