Pavor nocturnus

Pavor Nocturnus, also known as Night Terrors, is a sleep disorder characterized by feelings of terror or dread, and typically occurs during the first hours of stage 3-4 non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. Night terrors tend to happen during periods of arousal from delta sleep, also known as slow-wave sleep.

Symptoms

Night terrors are often associated with screaming, flailing, and panic; in extreme cases, they can result in bodily harm to oneself or others. People experiencing a night terror may not respond coherently to attempts to comfort or communicate with them, and typically do not remember the incident.

Causes

Night terrors can often be triggered by stress, depression, sleep deprivation, or certain medications. They are also common in children, with a family history of night terrors or sleepwalking behavior.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of night terrors is usually made based on the person's history. The disorder can be differentiated from nightmares as the person is not fully awake and does not recall the event.

Treatment

Treatment for night terrors can involve addressing underlying conditions, improving sleep hygiene, and in some cases, the use of medication. In many cases, children will outgrow night terrors.

See Also

• Sleep disorder
• Nightmare
• Sleepwalking

Pavor nocturnus Resources
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References

External Links

• Mayo Clinic - Night Terrors
• WebMD - Night Terrors

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