Night terrors in adults are often more common in times of stress. They can also be precipitated by fever and CNS depressant medications. Furthermore, night terrors in adults can be secondary to another sleep disorder. A trip to a sleep lab will help rule out the existence of another sleep disorder which may be the cause. For example, sleep apnea can result in night terrors.
Relaxation exercises are often helpful in minimizing stress.
Parents , be sure that other siblings who may have witnessed a child's terror do not tease or embarrass the child. This will induce further stress and only increase the likelihood of more terrors. Family History There is often a genetic component to night terrors. Sleep deprivation Night terrors often occur when someone is sleep deprived. When a person does not get enough sleep one night, then the next night they tend to have what is called rebound sleep.