Night terrors, or sleep terrors, stand apart from nightmares because of the physical movement an individual will exhibit during their dream and the REM sleep stage the person is in when the episode occurs. Parasomnias can occur during any stage of sleep, but according to the NIH, night terrors occur when the person or child is in a transitional state between sleep and wakefulness. “The person who has a nightmare wakes up from the dream and may remember details. A person who has a sleep terror remains asleep,” the Mayo Clinic explains. “Children usually don’t remember anything about their sleep terrors in the morning. Adults may recall part of a dream they had during the sleep terrors.” A person experiencing a sleep terror might • Begin screaming, shouting, or crying • Sit up in bed and look scared • Stare intensely with widened eyes • Experience sweating, heavy breathing, rapid pulse, flushed complexion, and dilated pupils • Be hard to wake up and may display confusion upon awakening Nightmares are more common than night terrors. According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, two percent of adults have night terrors, and six percent of children experience night terrors on a regular basis. Children may have night terrors in their youth, but most of them grow out of it with time. If your child is experiencing a night terror, Johns Hopkins Medicine suggests doing the following: 1. Comfort your child back to sleep without attempting to wake
them. Shaking or shouting may cause the child to become more upset. 2. Ensure your child’s safety during night terrors to prevent accidents like falling, running into a wall, or breaking a window. Gently guide them back to bed if they’re wandering. 3. Maintaining a consistent bedtime routine, ensuring your child gets enough sleep, and possibly reintroducing regular naps for younger children can minimize the risk of night terrors. Sleep Paralysis During a sleep paralysis episode, the individual is unable to move or speak, and the dream is typically accompanied by a haunting hallucination. Similarly to night terrors, a sleep paralysis episode occurs at a different stage of sleep than a nightmare. “While the states of sleep and wakefulness are usually clearly defined and distinct, conditions like sleep paralysis can blur these boundaries. Individuals maintain consciousness during episodes, which frequently involve troubling hallucinations and a sensation of suffocation,” explains the Sleep Foundation. An effective strategy for coping with sleep paralysis is acknowledging the episode as it occurs. If you become aware of the situation during the episode, attempt to regain control by gently moving your fingers and toes. For people who frequently have episodes of night terrors or sleep paralysis, if you believe or fear that you’ll have an episode when going to bed, chances are it will happen. Try diverting your thoughts from the sleep disorder when getting ready for bed. If you or your child are consistently having nightmares, episodes of night terrors, or sleep paralysis, and it’s impacting your well-being, schedule an appointment to speak with your doctor.
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