Night terror
Night terrors (aka pavor nocturnus or sleep terrors) generally occur in children age 3-12 and most often when a child is 3-4. They are equally common in boys and girls, and they normally spontaneously remit in adolescence (although they can occur in adults). A typical episode lasts between 1 to 15 minutes and begins 1 to 3 hours after sleep has begun.
They are different to nightmares which occur in REM sleep. Night terrors occur in the transition from stage 3 to stage 4 sleep. Also children have no memory of the night terror the next morning.
They are charcterised by intense crying and distress during sleep which occurs approximately 90 minutes after falling asleep. Children are unresponsive to external stimuli when experiencing a night terror.
Night terrors are different to nightmares in the following ways:-
Please note that the above information refers to the Rechtschaffen and Kales sleep classification model developed in 1968. This is the classification used in the Royal College questions.
In 2004 the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) reclassified NREM (none-REM) sleep into three (rather than four) stages, the last of which is also called delta sleep or slow-wave sleep.
They are different to nightmares which occur in REM sleep. Night terrors occur in the transition from stage 3 to stage 4 sleep. Also children have no memory of the night terror the next morning.
They are charcterised by intense crying and distress during sleep which occurs approximately 90 minutes after falling asleep. Children are unresponsive to external stimuli when experiencing a night terror.
Night terrors are different to nightmares in the following ways:-
| Feature | Night terror | Nightmare |
|---|---|---|
| Recall | No recall | Partial recall |
| Sleep stage | Stage 3-4 | REM |
| Onset in sleep | Early | Late |
| Associated autonomic arousal | Significant | Minimal |
Please note that the above information refers to the Rechtschaffen and Kales sleep classification model developed in 1968. This is the classification used in the Royal College questions.
In 2004 the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) reclassified NREM (none-REM) sleep into three (rather than four) stages, the last of which is also called delta sleep or slow-wave sleep.
