Night terrors in adults

Just as there are true fans of the night (night owls), there are also those who fear it. As soon as the shadows begin to take over the environment, an unease begins to grow in them that is sometimes unbearable.

The causes and manifestations of night fears are many.. There are those who are simply afraid of the dark. Others experience disturbing situations such as sleep paralysis or frequent nightmares. Some more experience what is specifically known as night terror, which has its own specific characteristics.

Night terrors in adults: what do they consist of?

They are a type of sleep disorder characterized by presenting with screaming or crying, intense terror and body agitation: tachycardia, tachypnea, diaphoresis. «The person may abruptly exhibit behaviors of fear, panic, confusion, or an apparent desire to escape. There is no response to the calm of others. They may experience gasping, moaning, or screaming,” say Stanford Medicine experts.

In general, The person is asleep when the episode occurs and in most cases does not even remember it. When they are awakened they appear confused, disoriented, agitated and unable to explain what happened.

Night terrors are classified as a parasomnia due to abnormal behaviors that appear during sleep. According to the National Library of Medicine, They usually occur during the phase of sleep known as non-REM. being more frequent in stages 3 and 4.

Symptoms

During a night terror episode, the person usually manifests the following symptoms:

wake up screaming, very afraid and distressedfeeling in dangerconfusion upon waking upinability to remember what happenedkicking or hitting during the episodeperspirationheavy breathingaccelerated pulseflushed face dilated pupils get out of bed and run around the house.

It is necessary to clarify that not all of these symptoms have to occur at the same time, some people will have more of some than others. However, in general terms, these are the ones that have been most frequently recorded in the literature.

Causes of night terrors in adults

This sleep disorder usually occurs to a greater extent in childhood populations than in adults. Information from an article published in Cureus Journal Medical Science points out that his Prevalence in children under 15 years of age is up to 6.5%. Although night terrors tend to disappear over time, there are those who continue to suffer from them into adulthood. In fact, and following the study cited, Its prevalence in adult life for those affected is 10.4%.

Regarding its etiology, it is still not well known for either children or adults. However, in general terms, the main causes are usually:

Lack of sleep or interruptions. Tiredness. Stress. Fever.Depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and others similar.Family history of night terrors.

Likewise, as the Mayo Clinic points out, the appearance of these episodes has been related to physiological conditions that interfere with sleep. Such as:

Obstructive sleep apnea.Restless Leg Syndrome.Consumption of some medications whose effects produce episodes of night terrors. Alcohol consumption.

Other factors associated with the appearance of night terrors, according to an article by Current Pediatric Reviews, are the following:

Intercurrent febrile illnesses. Full bladder during sleep. Noisy sleeping environment. Excessive physical activity. Fatigue. Frequent headaches. Intimidation. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Autistic disorder, epilepsy. Excessive caffeine intake.

Consequences

The main consequence of night terrors is that they interrupt the continuity of sleep. This can lead to stress problems, body pain, decreased quality of life, anguish, mood disorders and cognitive deficits, according to an article in Nature and science of sleep.

On the other hand, it can also cause sleep insomnia, because the person fears falling asleep for fear of suffering a new episode. Sleep deprivation has several consequences, among which are: increased mortality and morbidity, decreased performance in activities, increased accidents and injuries, lower quality of life and reduced family well-being.

Additionally, people with this condition often feel shame with your loved ones, who witness these episodes. In fact, in some cases, this condition can cause relationship problems, especially when those around the patient have been affected.

Finally, injuries to oneself or people nearby during episodes are also a possibility, although it is not as common.

When to consult the doctor?

When terrors appear only when the person is stressed and are infrequent, they are not considered alarming. However, you should see a specialist if any of these conditions occur:

They appear with a lot frequently, interrupting the sleep of the sufferer and other family members. They cause injuries to the affected person or those around them.Cause excessive sleepiness during the day or problems completing daily tasks.

Treatment

At the moment, there is no effective intervention against night terrors. Therefore, what is sought with the treatment is to improve the quality of the patient’s sleep through psychotherapy and the use of drugs (in more cases). severe). According to Mayo Clinic professionals, among the alternatives to treat this condition are:

Treat underlying disorders: In these cases, the intervention route is focused on mitigating the symptoms of the pathology that is causing the night terrors.Reduce stress: One of the main causes of this sleep problem is stress. Therefore, reducing their levels can reduce the appearance of night terrors associated with them. Relaxation techniques can be used for these purposes. Early awakening: if the person has the episodes at a specific time, it is advisable to wake them up before they have them and keep them awake for a few minutes and then allow them to fall asleep again. Research in the British Medical Journal on this method indicates that it may be effective in treating this condition.Prescribing medications: It is not very common for drugs to be used to treat night terrors. However, Mayo Clinic experts maintain that “if necessary, the use of benzodiazepines or certain antidepressants can be effective.”

According to information in an article published in Behavioral Neurology, it is recommended to educate people about the effects of lack of sleep and the precipitants of terrors such as drug use. Likewise, several treatment alternatives are suggested such as psychotherapy, relaxation therapy and hypnosis.

How to help a person with night terrors

There are three suggestions that the United Kingdom National Health Service makes to support a person with this pathology:

Remain calm and wait for the episode to pass. Do not prevent the person from moving, unless they could injure themselves or someone else. Do not wake the individual, as this could make them aggressive or upset.

The best help that can be given to someone with these terrors is ensure their physical integrity by creating a safe environment aroundthat is: remove any object from the room that could be dangerous during an episode and secure the windows and doors so that the subject does not run away when waking up.

Likewise, it is important help you have a healthy sleep routine that allows you to sleep well. Let us remember that lack of sleep can exacerbate episodes and generate negative consequences for mental and physical health.

Habits to combat night terrors in adults

You can also establish some habits on a daily basis to alleviate the incidence of this problem. Some of them are:

Have good sleep hygiene: Sleep and wake up at the same time every day, do not use your cell phone before going to sleep, as light can interfere with the release of melatonin, one of the sleep-inducing hormones.Create a quiet rest space: Make sure your room is isolated from noise and light, that it is cool and quiet. This will help you sleep better, which is necessary to reduce night terrors.Practice some relaxation or meditation techniques: These exercises will help you reduce the stress that may be triggering the episodes. If you can do them before going to sleep, much better, so you will fall asleep relaxed.Avoid the consumption of alcohol or other psychoactive drugs: Drugs and alcohol can affect your sleep and exacerbate night terrors, therefore, avoid their consumption. Exercise: playing a sport or doing physical exercise improves the quality of your sleep, therefore, it is likely that your night terrors will disappear. tone it down a little. Additionally, physical exercise can help you lower stress levels in your body.

We emphasize the importance of investigating what causes these night terrors: stress, anxiety, fears, daily situations that cause us discomfort, etc. Well, if we attack this problem at its roots, we can leave this condition behind.

Conclusion

Night terrors in adults are a type of parasomnia where terror is the central emotion of the episode. Although its cause is still unknown, it is believed that it may be related to stress and other psychopathologies..

To combat them, the best option is to develop a healthy lifestyle, have good sleep hygiene, create a calm environment at home and practice relaxation techniques. With the help of these habits and the intervention of a specialist, the person can overcome this disorder.

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