sleep terror is the medical term for night terrors.
sleep terror is the medical term for night terrors.
what is the medical term for night terrors?
sleep terror
there is some evidence that a predisposition to night terrors and other parasomnias may be congenital. individuals frequently report that past family members have had either episodes of sleep terrors or sleepwalking. in some studies, a ten-fold increase in the prevalence of night terrors in first-degree biological relatives has been observed—however, the exact link to inheritance is not known. familial aggregation has been found suggesting that there is an autosomal mode of inheritance. in addition, some laboratory findings suggest that sleep deprivation and having a fever can increase the likelihood of a night terror episode occurring. other contributing factors include nocturnal asthma, gastroesophageal reflux, and central nervous system medications. special consideration must be used when the subject suffers from narcolepsy, as there may be a link. there have been no findings that show a cultural difference between manifestations of night terrors, though it is thought that the significance and cause of night terrors differ within cultures. evidence suggests that nightmares are more common among women than men.
night terror
night terrors in adults have been reported in all age ranges. though the symptoms of night terrors in adolescents and adults are similar, the cause, prognosis and treatment are qualitatively different. these night terrors can occur each night if the sufferer does not eat a proper diet, get the appropriate amount or quality of sleep (e.g. sleep apnea), is enduring stressful events, or if he or she remains untreated. adult night terrors are much less common, and often respond to treatments to rectify causes of poor quality or quantity of sleep. night terrors are classified as a mental and behavioral disorder in the icd. a study done about night terrors in adults showed that other psychiatric symptoms were prevalent in most patients experiencing night terrors hinting at the comorbidity of the two. there is some evidence of a link between night terrors and hypoglycemia.
night terror