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11/27/15
Psychology
NightTerrors
Anightterror,sleepterrororpavornocturnusisasleepdisorder,causingfeelingsof
terrorordread,andtypicallyoccursduringthefirsthoursofstage34nonrapideye
movement.Nightterrorsmostlikelyhappenduringperiodsofarousalfromdeltasleep,also
knownasslowwavesleep.Duringthefirsthalfofasleepcycle,deltasleepoccursmostoften,
whichmeansthatpeoplewithmoredeltasleepactivity,arelesslikelytohaveanoccuranceof
nightterrors.However,theycanalsooccurduringdaytimesuchaswhenpeopleoccasionally
takenapsforexample.
Nightterrorshavebeenknownsincetheancienttimes,althoughitwasimpossibleto
differentiatethemfromnightmaresuntilrapideyemovementwasdiscoveredtheywerethen
abletodifferentiatenightmaresandnightterrors.Nightmaresarebaddreamsthatcauseyou
feelingsofhorrororfear.Whilenightmaresarerelativelycommonduringchildhood,night
terrorsoccurlessfrequently.Nightterrorscanoftenbemistakenforconfusionalarousal.Sleep
terrorsbeginbetweenages3and12yearsandthenusuallydissipateduringadolescence.In
adults,theymostcommonlyoccurbetweentheagesof20to30.Thoughthefrequencyand
severityvarybetweenindividuals,theycanoccurinintervalsofdaysorweeks,butcanalso
occuroverconsecutivenightsormultipletimesinonenight.
Nightterrorsarelargelyunknowntomostpeople,creatingthenotionthatanytypeof
nocturnalattackornightmarecanbeconfusedwithandreportedasanightterror
Duringnightterrorbouts,patientsthatgothroughthemareusuallydescribedas
"boltingupright"withtheireyeswideopenandwithalookoffearandpanicontheirface.They
willoftenscream.Theywillusuallysweat,exhibitrapidrespiration,andhavearapidheartrate
thesesymptomsareallautonomicsigns.Insomecases,individualsarelikelytohaveevenmore
elaboratemotoractivity,suchaspunching,swinging,orfleeingmotions.Thereisasensethat
theindividualistryingtoprotecthimselfand/orescapefromapossiblethreatwhichthreatens
bodilyinjury.Thismaycomefromthenightterrorhe/sheishaving.Occasionally,whena
personwithanightterrorisawakened,hewilllashoutatthatperson,whichcanbedangerous
forthatindividual.Youshouldnotawakensomeonewithanightterroratanytimebecausehe
orshemayharmthemselvesorharmanyonearoundthem.Mostpeoplewhoexperiencethis
areamnesicorpartiallyamnesicfromtheincidentthenextday.Sleepwalkingisalsoanother
predisposition.Sleepwalkingandnightterrorsaredifferentmanifestationsofthesame
parasomnia.
Nightterrorsinadultshavebeenreportedinallageranges.Thoughthesymptomsof
nightterrorsinadolescentsandadultsaresimilar,thetreatmentisqualitativelydifferent.
Thesenightterrorscanoccureachnightifthesuffererdoesnoteataproperdiet,getthe
appropriateamountorqualityofsleep,isenduringstressfulevents,orifheorsheremains
untreated.Adultnightterrorsaremuchlesscommon,andoftenrespondtotreatmentsto
rectifycausesofpoorqualityorquantityofsleep.NightterrorsareclassifiedasaMentaland
behavioraldisorder.Astudydoneaboutnightterrorsinadultsshowedthatotherpsychiatric
symptomswereprevalentinmostpatientsexperiencingnightterrorshintingatthe
comorbidityofthetwo.
Whenanightterrorhappens,itistypicalforapersontowakeupscreamingandkicking
andtobeabletorecognizewhatheorsheissaying.Thepersonmayevenrunoutofthehouse.
Thisismorecommonamongadults.Thiscanalsothenleadtoviolentactions.Ithasbeenfound
thatsomeadultswhohavebeenonalongtermintrathecalclonidinetherapyshowsideeffects
ofnightterrors,suchasfeelingsofterrorearlyinthesleepcycle.Thisisduetothepossible
alterationofcervical/brainclonidineconcentration.Inadults,nightterrorscanbesymptomatic
andcanfurtherinvestigatethroughanMRIprocedure.
Nightterrorstypicallyoccurinchildrenbetweentheagesofthreetotwelveyearsold.
Anestimatedonetosixpercentofchildrenexperiencenightterrors.Boysandgirlsofall
backgroundsareaffectedequally.Theyusuallyresolveduringadolescence.Sleepdisruptionis
parentsmostfrequentconcernduringthefirstyearsofachildslife.Sleepisveryimportant
anditneededtogoaboutyourday.Halfofallchildrendevelopadisruptedsleeppattern
seriousenoughtowarrantassistanceofaphysician.Inchildrenyoungerthanthreeandahalf
yearsold,peakfrequencyofnightterrorsisatleastoneepisodeperweek.Amongolder
children,peakfrequencyofnightterrorsisoneortwoepisodespermonth.Children
experiencingnightterrorsmaybehelpedbyapaediatricevaluation.Duringsuchevaluation,
thepaediatricianmayalsobeabletoexcludeotherpossibledisordersthatmightcausenight
terrors.
Inmostchildren,nightterrorseventuallysubsideanddonotneedtobetreated.Itmay
behelpfultoreassurethechildthatheorshewilloutgrowthisdisorderbutthechancesof
themoutgrowingtheirdisordermayoccuroritmaynotyoujusthavetohopethattheywill
outgrowit.Psychotherapyorcounselingcanbehelpfulinmanycasesofnightterrorswithany
agesfrom312and3040.Thereissomeevidencetosuggestthatnightterrorscanresultfrom
lackofsleeporpoorsleepinghabits.Inthesecases,itcanbehelpfultoimprovetheamount
andqualityofsleepwhichthechildisgetting.Ifthisisnotenough,medications
maybeprescribedtoreducetheoccurrenceofnightterrors;however,medicationisonly
recommendedinextremecasesifyournightterrorsarentasbadasotherpatientsthenyou
mayoutgrowitovertime.
WorkCited
1. D'ArcyLyness.(October23).NightTerrors.Retrievedfrom
http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/sleep/terrors.html
2. NightTerrors.(n.d.).Retrievedfrom
http://www.webmd.com/sleepdisorders/nightterrors
3. Sleepterrors(nightterrors)MayoClinic.(n.d.).Retrievedfrom
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseasesconditions/nightterrors/basics/definition/con20032
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