Night Terrors Essay

The above quote represents a classic episode of night terrors, or sleep terrors (the terms are interchangeable). Night terrors – called incubus in adults and pavor nocturnus in children (Durand 31) – fall into a larger category of sleep disorders called parasomnias, which are sleep disorders that are classified by abnormal or paranormal brain activity (psychnet). It's also considered a disorder of "partial arousal", where the child is

Sleeping disorder is a medical disorder of the sleep models of a human being or an animal. The sleeping disorders interfere with the normal mental, physical, social, and emotional functioning of the body. The commonly ordered sleeping disorders are polysomnography and actigraphy. This paper provides a critical analysis of a 2010 article written by Jane F. Gaultney called The prevalence of sleep disorders in college students: impact on academic performance.

“Night” by Elie Wiesel explains how dehumanization occurred during a weak point in human history.

2. Like to keep liked objects like their toys near while sleeping and lights are kept on

As stated in a previous statistic, sleep disorders unfortunately target a wide variety of ages. Children are commonly affected by Sleep Apnea, teeth grinding, Night Terrors, Nightmares, sleep walking, Restless Leg Syndrome, bedwetting, and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Adults tend to be affected by Insomnia, Hypersomnia, Sleep Apnea, Narcolepsy, Sleep Paralysis, Hypopnea Syndrome, and Noctoria. Sleep disorders are very common and also very dangerous in some circumstances. Ill treating or ignoring sleep disorders can lead to lethargy, poor mood, lack of motivation, and may negatively impact

Sleep paralysis is a common condition with a prevalence of 5-62%, although most affected people have single or infrequent episodes (Dahlitz). Occasionally sleep paralysis is found to run in a family, and it can be associated with other disorders of hypersomnia, such as sleep apnea (Becker 81). Narcolepsy has also been linked with sleep paralysis; both are thought to be REM sleep disorders (Siegel). Gender and race do not seem to be a factor of risk for this disorder. The episodes of sleep paralysis seem to range from ages 5-35 (Dahlitz). The use of anxiolytic medicines, psychiatric disorders and high anxiety can also contribute to sleep paralysis (Larkin).

The sleep cycle is often the first symptom to pre-schizophrenia. "Infants were reported to ‘sleep almost constantly' during the first few months, yet by the age of six months, they refuse to sleep at all". (Cantor, 1988) Severe nightmares are very common in the first two years of life, where the child is unable to be awoken, or the child wakes spontaneously, vomits, and falls back asleep. (Cantor, ‘88) By the time the child is three or four, serious sleep disorders begin to develop. "The child just can't fall asleep, and it seems like they just can't relax". (Cantor, ‘88) These children are more likely to sleep walk, and have no fear in doing anything while in this state. "Both sleep behavior and understanding of danger improve as the child matures; in fact, schizophrenic children become cautious and fearful as the awareness of their alien world

Night terrors also known as sleep terrors can be defined as a “sleeping disorder characterized by high arousal and an appearance of being terrified” (Meyers, 2014). Night terrors most commonly occur with children. Many people in general not just parents get confused between a nightmare and a night terror. Nightmares occur during REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep which is a state of sleep where people are conscious. When a person wakes up from a nightmare they have a “vivid memory of a long movie like a dream” (nightterrors.org). Night terrors, on the other hand, occur “during NERM-3 sleep, within two or three hours of falling asleep, and are seldom remembered” (Meyers, 2014). Since the child is in such deep sleep he/she will not remember a night terror. Since the child cannot remember their dream it makes it hard for doctors and psychologist to figure out what the child is fearful of, and why it is occurring. Although it is difficult for professionals to diagnose, it is beneficial to the child not

If you have ever been awakened by someone screaming in panic, heavily sweating, and tossing around in their sleep, you have most likely experienced someone having night terrors. Night terrors is defined as a sleep disorder associated with arousal of terror or dread (Healthline). Occasionally, night terrors can happen to adults, but they are most common in children ages 3-12 (WebMD). However, higher percentage of children do grow out of night terrors while entering the teenage years. Unlike a nightmare, victims of night terrors have no recollection of the episode.

I negatively judged the difference between night terrors and nightmares. I related them to each other and made the assumption that they were different only in the dreams. This was not true and learning more about night terrors made me change my position on what the difference really was between night terrors and nightmares. Night terrors are “a sleep disorder characterized by high arousal and an appearance of being terrified” Myers (2014). Nightmares, whoever, occur during the early morning REM while night terrors occur during the REM 3 stage of sleep. In REM 3 the brain is more active which is why “night terror patients showed an inhibition of outward expressions of aggression and a predominance of anxiety, depression, tendencies obsessive-compulsive/,

Parasomnia refers to a wide variety of disruptive, sleep-related events or, "disorders of arousal." These behaviors and experiences occur usually while sleeping, and most are often infrequent and mild. They may however happen often enough to become so bothersome that medical attention should be sought out. "Parasomnias are disorders characterized by abnormal behavior or physiological events occurring in association with sleep stages, or sleep-wake transitions."(DSM pg. 435)

In this study the researchers wanted to test and see if emergence delirium was linked with night terrors in children. Night terrors are started when the child is suddenly aroused and starts to scream and cry. Night terrors usually occur during the third stage of non-rapid eye movement sleep. Children who experience night terrors usually will not want to be comforted. It usually happens for around half an hour and the person suffering the night terrors usually will not remember anything happening.

They are really identified with other sleep disorders, for example, sleepwalking and don't happen amid REM sleep, however amid profound sleep or delta sleep. At the point when night terrors happen the sufferer is still in a sleep state. These scenes normally simply end with the tyke falling back asleep and not having the capacity to review what happened in the

Sleepwalking is a sleep disorder effecting an estimated 10 percent of all humans at least once in their lives (1). This widespread phenomenon varies in its intensity and frequency. While most sleepwalking incidents are short and not dangerous, some can involve self-injury and are much more dangerous for the sleeper. Also, most interestingly, the disorder seems to stem from many different sources, not from one definable cause such as a chemical imbalance. While it is predominantly pre-adolescents who suffer from somnambulism, it is also observed in adults, although the frequency and severity of incidents increase with age. The source of the disorder was once thought to be entirely psychological and an extension of

Night terrors, nightmares, and sleepwalking are all cases that fall into sleep disorders called parasomnias. Parasomnias are disruptive sleep disorders that can occur during arousal from either rapid eye movement or even non-rapid eye movement. Children from the age’s four to twelve of ages experience night terrors.