This dangerous behavior can lead to sleepers leaving their bed, kicking, punching, leaping and often injuring themselves or their bed partners. It can be treated with medication. Real Sleep Terror is a sudden arousal from slow-wave sleep with a piercing scream or cry, accompanied by profuse sweating and intense fear. Especially frightening because, unlike nightmares, it occurs without dream recall. People have no idea how they became so frightened.
Sleepwalkers don t appear to be sleeping but are deep in a sleep state.
Their eyes are typically open with dilated pupils. It s sometimes accompanied by sleep talking, and can be triggered by fever, sleep deprivation or emotional upset. Sleep walking is a genetically linked disorder that runs in families, and often disappears at puberty. Relaxation techniques may help, or a dentist can supply a plastic tooth guard. Please take our sleep disorder quiz to find out.