Sleep terrors, also called night terrors, are considered a type of sleep disorder and the most common symptom is waking up scared after trembling in sleep. Let’s examine in all details the questions such as what is sleep terror, which can be seen in children and young people in general, but sometimes also in adults, why it happens and how it goes.
Night terrors or sleep terrors are called sleep terrors by experts because of their very annoying symptoms such as sleep tremors, restless sleep, and waking up afraid of sleep. It is a sleep disorder. It is considered a disease if it lasts for a long time and affects the quality of life. Sleep terrors are generally seen in children and teenagers. but it can also occur from time to time in some adults.
Sleep terrors occur when you don’t sleep fully, but you start to fall asleep slowly. Although it starts with a minor symptom such as trembling in sleep, it can progress step by step and cause the person to wake up screaming. It is a condition that should be taken seriously, even if it does not cause immediate concern. What is sleep terror, why does it happen, how does it pass Let’s take a look at the frequently asked questions in detail.
Let’s define the disorder first, what is a sleep terror?
Sleep terror or night terror, which is classified as parasomnia, that is, unwanted behavior during sleep, It is a type of sleep disorder. This condition, which can also be defined as a disease in its later stages, occurs during the person’s NREM sleep. Sleep terror, which is seen in 40 percent of children, can also be seen in adolescents and adults, although not very often.
In the process we call NREM sleep, the person is neither fully asleep nor fully awake. Due to the night terrors that occur at this point, which we can describe as the purgatory of sleep, After a simple symptom such as trembling in sleep, the person starts to sweat and finally wakes up screaming. Therefore, it is a sleep disorder that should be taken seriously.
Sleep tremors and more: What are the symptoms of sleep terrors?
- Waking up with a frightening scream or shout
- sitting in bed without realizing it
- acceleration in heartbeat
- growth in pupils
- Sweating
- tremors in sleep
- acceleration in breathing
- Kicking things around
- inability to wake up
- Not remembering anything when you wake up the next day
- appearing awake from the outside
- Do not act aggressively if intervened
Sleep terror is a sleep disorder that can be underestimated as it is often confused with bad dreaming behavior. There are very fundamental differences between them. When the person has nightmares, they wake up with fear and can clearly remember details about what they saw. This is not the case with sleep terrors.
A person with sleep terrors may not wake up due to the problems he has experienced and may show all the symptoms we have listed above. Children usually do not remember anything when they wake up in the morning, as they experience all these during sleep. Adults who experience sleep terrors may think all this is a dream. When we look at it from this point of view, we can say that it has similar characteristics to the disorder called sleepwalking.
So what causes sleep terrors, in which situations does it occur?
- breathing problems
- psychological problems
- Changing sleep patterns during travel
- restless legs syndrome
- Different sleep problems
- Anesthesia for surgery
- Tiredness
- stimulants
- Antidepressant use
- febrile diseases
- Alcohol consumption
- Traumatic stress disorders
- Sleep apnea
These are some of the conditions that cause sleep terror, which manifests itself with tremors in sleep. It is normal for temporary pattern changes to have a negative effect on sleep. however, the chronicity of this condition is considered a problem that should be taken seriously.
There is a direct relationship between sleep and respiratory tract. For this reason, respiratory problems, especially sleep terror, It can be the root cause of many different sleep disorders. Because the person’s efforts to breathe during sleep will adversely affect sleep. Psychological problems such as depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder are also known to cause sleep terrors and similar sleep disorders.
Not all sleep tremors are sleep terrors:
For the diagnosis of sleep terror to be diagnosed, it is not enough to have symptoms such as tremors during sleep. anyway It is extremely difficult to make this diagnosis, especially in adults. because it does not repeat regularly. On top of that, if we consider that adults do not remember this situation, it becomes more difficult to diagnose.
Experts, to understand whether such a sleep disorder They recommend keeping a sleep diary. You can catch some clues by recording how you are before you go to sleep and how you are after you wake up. If there is someone you sleep with, their observations are also extremely important.
It is much easier to diagnose sleep terror in children, because even if the child does not remember the child, their only child when he wakes up screaming in the middle of the night they will notice this. In such cases, it is extremely important to observe and record the frequency.
When should you go to the doctor?
Of course, no one goes to the doctor easily because I think I have sleep terrors. It is not something to be self-diagnosed. At this point, the person needs to observe the state of sleep. It is normal to experience poor quality sleep due to different reasons, but if this situation has become chronic, it is absolutely necessary to seek help from a specialist.
How is sleep terror treated, how is it treated?
We don’t want to upset anyone, but sleep terrors are not a curable sleep disorder. because This disease can occur due to numerous different reasons. But the good news is that sleep terror attacks that begin in childhood go away on their own as they get older.
Of course, if we said that there is no cure, it is not that much. When you see a specialist doctor Diseases and ailments that cause this condition are examined. In other words, even if sleep terror is not a disease on its own, it can be a symptom of another disease. After the problem is detected, an appropriate treatment is applied and sleep terror is eliminated along with the disease.
As with many inconveniences, it’s your job here too. You can determine what disrupts your sleep quality by observing yourself. Sometimes even fixing a simple problem like an uncomfortable pillow or a very hot bedroom will improve your sleep quality.
It manifests itself with symptoms such as trembling in sleep, waking up screaming. What is sleep terror, why does it happen, how does it pass We answered frequently asked questions such as: What we describe is for informational purposes only. Do not forget that you should get the most accurate and specific information about sleep terrors from a specialist physician, as in all health issues.