In simple words: Sleep terrors, or night terrors, are scary episodes that happen while a person is sleeping deeply.The person might scream, thrash around, and seem very frightened, but they won't remember it in the morning.It's more common in children and usually goes away on its own.

Sleep terrors, also known as night terrors, are a non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep arousal disorder.They involve a partial awakening from the deepest stage of sleep, typically during the first third of the night, manifesting as extreme fright, often with screaming, thrashing, and autonomic arousal (increased heart rate, sweating, dilated pupils).The individual usually has little to no memory of the event upon waking.This condition primarily affects children aged 4-12, though it can rarely occur in adults. Diagnosis is based on patient history, symptoms, behavioral assessment, and potentially polysomnography.

Example 1: A 6-year-old child experiences nightly episodes of screaming and thrashing, waking up in a state of terror but having no recollection of the event. Physical exam and history reveal no other underlying medical conditions., A 10-year-old child has sleep terrors that disrupt their sleep and family life.They exhibit increased heart rate and sweating during episodes.Parental reassurance and sleep hygiene strategies are implemented., An adult patient reports recurrent episodes of sleep terrors despite adequate sleep.A psychological evaluation is conducted to rule out underlying anxiety or trauma, and therapy is considered if necessary.

Detailed patient history including frequency, duration, and associated symptoms of sleep terrors.Sleep diary documenting sleep patterns.Results of physical exam to rule out other causes.Polysomnography may be indicated in complex cases.

** Differentiate sleep terrors from nightmares. Nightmares occur during REM sleep and are typically remembered, unlike sleep terrors, which occur during NREM sleep and are usually not recalled. Treatment is often supportive and rarely involves medication.