Are Sleep Terrors Genetic?
Categories: Babies, Health & safety, Sleep
Are nightmares genetic? A recent study seems to point that way. Nightmares, also known as sleep terrors, affect people from childhood through adulthood. Those affected suffer from waking in a panic, normally screaming, confusion and disorientation. I actually know someone, an adult and parent, with night terrors and I can say two things about them: one, no one should have to suffer them; and two, anyone who does have them wouldn't want their children to have them either.
The Quebec Newborn Twin Study examined the sleep habits of 390 sets of twins via surveys with their mothers. Identical twins share essentially all the same genes, whereas fraternal twins do not (they share about half). By studying both, researchers were able to ascertain what might be caused through genetics and what might be caused through environment. Over 36% of the children surveyed had sleep terrors. Research on the twins uncovered that at 18 months of age a child's risk of having sleep terrors as a result of something genetic was 43.7%. At 30 months, the risk was 41.5%.
I'm not sure how this occurred and the article didn't make it so clear either, but it's an interesting premise to consider. Because the research focused on feedback from the mothers rather than medical diagnosis, researchers noted the information should be taken at face value.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Greta 12-03-2008 @ 10:50AM
A nightmare is different than a night terror. Nightmares are bad dreams - they happen during REM sleep and you can (usually) remember them when you wake up. Night terrors (or sleep terrors) happen during deep sleep, and they have nothing to do with dreams. Our daughter had them when she was younger, but very thankfully she grew out of them. She didn't get it from her dad or me, though, so I can't attest to the genetic nature. I just wanted to correct your use of the word nightmare.
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Sabrina 12-03-2008 @ 4:46PM
Yes, night terrors are FAR different. I have had them since I was about 2 or 3 years old, and I still wake myself up screaming at the age of 25. It's even scarier than having a panic attack when you're awake, and SO real, you wake up thinking that something really bad is happening to you for real. I do not know another person in my family who has them, so again, I can't attest to the genetic link they're studying.
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Allie 12-03-2008 @ 6:39PM
Thank you I needed to read that, I had a few very memorable ( for my mom and dad not me) night terrors as a child and my son has had a few mild ones. It's nice to know it's not something I have done wrong as a mom . Dr. Greene has a good article about them here http://www.drgreene.com/21_155.html .
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chrisjchang 12-03-2008 @ 8:54PM
Often, night terrors either are not remembered or they are remembered but they are about something ridiculous. One that happened to me years ago was about pouring water on a sprinkler; I woke up screaming so loudly that my neighbors were woken up at one in the morning.
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Jessica 12-03-2008 @ 9:08PM
Also agree that terrors are very different from nightmare. I think the best distinction I've heard is that if you (parent) are more shaken up than you child the next morning, it was a night terror. They are genetic in my house...my 34 yo husband, 5 yo son, and 2 1/2 yo son ALL have night terrors. Sometimes on the same night!! Too much caffeine triggers it in my husband and lack of sleep triggers it for my kids. My best advice is to stay calm, be patient, and know that it will pass!
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pantrygirl 12-05-2008 @ 8:11PM
according to our pediatrician night terrors are genetic. our little one had a few a month ago but they have since disappeared but the pediatrician said they may return periodically.
they simply are terrifying for a parent.
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Steph 12-06-2008 @ 12:06PM
I researched "Night Terrors" a totally different thing than nightmares when my daughter had a few. I believe that she had her first at three months old-though at the time the article I read on babycenter had said they didn't start until 9 months. But the description fit exactly and I later realized that 3 months old was also when I had to go back to work, and went from being with her 24/7 to being gone 48 hours a week plus travel time. It was very hard on both of us. Sometimes there doesn't seem to be a direct stress related link to when she's had them(but maybe she's stressed by something I think is minor?). I absolutely believe it's genertic. I read that a few years ago, and also I sent a link to my Mother-in-law to explain Night Terrors to her and she called me back all excited. It turns out she's had them her whole life and had no idea what they were. I've read that Night Terrors, bedwetting, and sleepwalking all tend to run in families. My second child, a boy, I believe has a lesser form of this. He wakes up and is inconsolable, but does react to the people around him. He hears us and will sometimes answer, but it comes out as gibberish. Whereas my daughter doesn't see or respond to us at all until she comes out of it. It's one of the most frightening things I've experienced as a parent.
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