Night terrors are episodes of intense confusion and fear that occur for no apparent reason during slow-wave sleep, usually between one and three hours after falling asleep. Unlike a nightmare, the person is not aware of what they are doing and does not remember the episode when they wake up.
The manifestations are very disconcerting. The person may bolt upright in bed, start screaming or sobbing, struggle or talk incomprehensibly. These symptoms may be accompanied by sweating, shortness of breath and a rapid heart rate.
An episode lasts from one to five minutes, sometimes up to 20 minutes, and then the person falls back asleep with no difficulty. Since they have no memory of the episode, it is best not to awaken or interact with them, or talk about it when they wake up.
Night terrors can be caused by fatigue, a high fever or a stressful event. They may also be due to a genetic predisposition.
Night terrors are more common in children, especially those aged three to six, and tend to disappear spontaneously before adolescence.