Night terrors, also called sleep terrors, are when a person awakes suddenly out of sleep in a fearful or upset state. The condition is the most common in boys ages five to seven, explains the experts at Medline Plus, but can also occur in girls and in people of all ages. Although many people mistake night terrors for nightmares, the two are very different. After waking from a nightmare, people typically remember the reason why they were afraid and are able to be consoled. After waking from a night terror attack, on the other hand, people only have a fragmented memory of what happened but will often have no recollection of what upset them at all.
Behavioral Symptoms
During a night terror attack, a person abruptly wakes up screaming or crying during the first third of the sleep period, according to the fourth edition of the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV)." The attack typically lasts about 10 to 20 minutes during which the person may thrash about, scream, cry, stare blankly, sleepwalk or seem completely unaware of his surroundings. When the attack stops, the person typically will then return to sleep as if nothing ever happened, report experts at Medline Plus, and will have no recollection of the event upon awakening.
Emotional Symptoms
Intense fear or agitation are common during a night terror attack. The cause of what is upsetting the person will be impossible for an outside person to understand, explains the Mayo Clinic, and the person will typically not respond to any reassurances or things done to try to calm him.
Physical Symptoms
The DSM-IV lists sweating, racing heart, flushing of the skin, increased muscle tone, dilated pupils, clammy hands and rapid breathing as physical symptoms that may be present during a night terror attack.
Symptoms of Sleep Terror Disorder
It is possible to have a sleep terror attack without having a sleep terror disorder. Although the overall symptoms are very similar, a person must meet all six criteria established in the DSM-IV manual in order to be officially diagnosed as having a sleep terror disorder. One, a person must have repeated occurrences of night terror attacks. Two, the episodes occur within the first third of the sleep period and last 10 to 20 minutes, and the person must display signs of intense fear or distress. Third, the individual will be difficult to comfort or wake up while the attack is going on. Fourth, the person must not remember the event the next morning and will only remember fragmented images if awoken during or after the attack. Fifth, the night terrors must not have a known cause like substance abuse or a medical condition. Finally, the night terror attacks must interfere with a person's social, occupational or other functioning.
