What Are Night Terrors?
Night Terrors are sudden, dramatic interruptions in our sleep and are quite different to nightmares.
Nightmares occur after several hous of sleep, the dream phase of REM sleep, and they wake up the sleeper with a vivid memory of the dream.
Unlike night terrors, nightmares do not usually involve screaming, thrashing about or running around without a purpose. People usually remember nightmares, but sufferers of night terrors have no recollection of the dream.
Night terrors occur during the first hour or two of sleep, the deep non-REM sleep, and can last anywhere from ten to thirty minutes. They’re most common in children, causing them to bolt out of bed, thrash around and scream or run wildly through the house. Their eyes may be wide open but they are not awake; neither are they aware of anybody around them. Night terrors can also cause chikldren to sleep walk and/or to urinate in bed.
Symptoms of night terrors include:
- sweating
- sudden awakening
- gerror
- scresming
- rapid heart rate
- confusion
- inability to explain or recall the dream
Night terrors, sleepwalking, and sleep talking are all disorders of arousal, called parasomnias. They are usully brought on by stress.
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