These episodes can affect children or adults, but theyre more common during early childhood.
Sleep normally becomes more regulated as the brain matures, and night terrors are rare during adulthood.
However, if you experience night terrors at any age, it is important to get a medical evaluation.
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These episodes can sometimes be related to underlying health conditions.
Treatment will help the underlying condition and lower the risk of recurrent sleep terrors.
An anxiety disorder can cause anxiety symptoms, but thats not always the case.
Many people can experience periods of anxiety due to stress without having an anxiety disorder.
Symptoms: Night Terrors, Nightmares, or Nightmare Disorder?
Other Parasomnias
Night terrors are a key in ofparasomnia.
A parasomnia is an unpleasant sleep experience, such as anightmare.
However, night terrors are not the same as nightmares or other parasomnias.
Some recommendations for preventing recurrent sleep terrors include lifestyle adjustments.
This is done for two to four weeks.
Older research on this subject has not shown a strong association between sleep terrors and psychiatric conditions.
It can be difficult for parents to know the difference between night terrors and psychiatric illnesses or neurological conditions.
Some people may feel a sense of doom or anxiety before or after a night terror.
The key feature of night terrors is that people do not remember having them.
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