Sleepwalking & Night Terrors in Kids: What Borrelia & Mineral Imbalances Have to Do With It

Sleepwalking. Night terrors. Kids crying, screaming, or walking around in a fog-like trance in the middle of the night. If your child struggles with these episodes, it can feel scary and confusing—and traditional approaches may not offer many answers beyond “they’ll grow out of it.”

But what if these sleep disturbances are your child’s body communicating a deeper imbalance?

As a holistic practitioner, I’ve found that chronic sleepwalking and night terrors are often connected to infections like Borrelia (Lyme co-infections), poor detox pathways, and mineral imbalances that disrupt the nervous system and sleep cycles.

Let’s break it down.

🧬 The Borrelia Connection

Borrelia is a bacterial infection commonly associated with Lyme disease. It’s known for causing neurological symptoms in both adults and children—including sensory processing issues, rage episodes, anxiety, OCD, and yes… night terrors and sleepwalking.

Because Borrelia can cross the blood-brain barrier, it affects the limbic system (which governs emotion and memory) and autonomic nervous system (which controls sleep-wake cycles). In kids, this can show up as:

• Intense night terrors (often with no memory the next day)

• Sleepwalking or talking in their sleep

• Panic or fear-based behaviors at night

• Chronic insomnia or restless sleep
  

These symptoms are often brushed off as “normal phases” in childhood—but if they’re persistent, it’s worth exploring a deeper cause.

⚖️ How Minerals Tie In

Borrelia and other chronic infections don't just exist in a vacuum—they often thrive in a body with weak detox pathways and mineral imbalances. Here’s what I often see on HTMA tests in kids with sleep disturbances:

🔸 Low Sodium & Potassium

These kids are often in burnout. Their adrenals are depleted, which means they struggle to regulate stress and are more sensitive to environmental or internal triggers at night.

🔸 High Calcium (Calcium Shell)

This pattern creates a sort of emotional shut-down—kids may seem disconnected during the day, but at night, everything unresolved comes bubbling to the surface. They may have vivid dreams, sleep disturbances, or terrors they can’t explain.

🔸 Copper Imbalance

Too much unbound copper stimulates the brain, contributes to racing thoughts, anxiety, and disrupts melatonin (the sleep hormone). These kids tend to be wired and tired, struggling to settle down at night.

⚠️ Hidden Heavy Metals

Lead, aluminum, and mercury can contribute to neurological dysregulation, especially when paired with chronic infections like Borrelia. These metals often accumulate when the detox pathways are sluggish or under-supported.

🌿 Supporting Sleep by Getting to the Root

If your child’s sleep issues are intense, chronic, or paired with emotional or behavioral symptoms, it’s a sign their body needs support.

Through Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) testing, we can uncover the patterns behind these symptoms—whether it’s a copper overload, adrenal burnout, or evidence of chronic infection. From there, we build a protocol to strengthen the body and nervous system so your child can truly rest. If your child is struggling with nighttime behaviors and you feel like no one is listening, I see you. These symptoms are not random—and there is a path forward.

Let’s uncover the root cause and support your child’s sleep and healing journey together.