Night terrors in adults: symptoms, causes and treatment

Suffering night terrors is usually something associated with childhood. Many children suffer from these episodes, in which they start screaming, hitting and have a very bad night, frightening and worrying their parents with their sobs.

However, although it is not common, some adults can experience these episodes. They usually present the same symptoms as in children, although the causes can be associated with psychological problems and do not disappear on their own, unlike in childhood.

Next we are going to talk about night terrors in adults, what are the main causes that may be behind them, what consequences do they have in the life of the person who presents them, their treatment and their key symptoms.

• Related article: "The 7 main sleep disorders"

What are night terrors like in adults?

Night terrors are a sleep disorder in which the person who suffers them wakes up abruptly, terrified and distressed.

She is so scared that she screams loudly, alerting people in the same household. She notices how her heart is beating, she is drenched in sweat and feels confused because she does not remember what happened.

The normal thing is that, when you experience one of these episodes, you are not aware of your surroundings, although you can kick and hit, hurting yourself and others. These episodes usually last 10 to 20 minutes and, as soon as they have passed, those who have suffered them go back to sleep. These episodes usually appear during the deep phase of sleep and they occur most often during the first half of sleep.

What causes these sleep disturbances?

Night terrors are a sleep problem that usually occurs during childhood and ends up disappearing as one gets older. However, They can also occur during adulthood and do not end up disappearing on their own.

These problems often manifest themselves when the patient has been through a period of high stress or is manifesting some psychological problem, both associated with his personality and experiences Recent The main causes behind these episodes are:

• Stress and emotional tension
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Bipolar disorder
• Fatigue and lack of sleep

Many people with PTSD experience these types of episodes.. They can also occur in people who have other anxiety disorders and those related to trauma and stressors. They can also manifest themselves in periods of many changes and high stress, such as the loss of a loved one, having lived through an accident, going through a separation, or recently received a diagnosis of a disease.

Another cause that can explain the appearance of night terrors in adults is the family history. It is suspected that there could be a hereditary cause in its manifestation, since having direct relatives who have lived them increases the probability of suffering this problem.

Finally, as a cause of these episodes we also have high fever and the consumption of substances, be they medications or drugs. Drugs, substances such as alcohol and fever can alter the phases of sleep, making them deeper and increasing the likelihood of night terrors in adults.

• You may be interested in: "Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: Causes and Symptoms"

Symptoms

There are several symptoms of night terrors. In order to know if these episodes are being experienced, it is necessary to check if any of the following symptoms have occurred:

• Waking up suddenly screaming, terrified and very distressed.
• Waking up feeling in danger.
• Feeling confused when waking up
• Not remembering what happened during the night
• They have tried to calm us and wake us up but they have not succeeded.

If any of these symptoms have occurred, you may have suspected episodes of night terrors. Likewise, there are many other symptoms that are associated with this sleep disorder. Usually, in an episode of night terror, the person feels very unpleasant sensations, visualizes negative images while asleep, and can speak, moan, scream, sob and cry.

Another of the symptoms associated with this problem is causing the person to move excessively while sleeping. This puts her at risk of injury, harming the person sleeping next to her, and even falling out of bed. Upon awakening, she will find herself screaming, very distressed and terrified, all sweaty, hyperventilating, and a racing heartbeat. You will feel confused and disoriented.

Sleepwalking episodes may occur. The affected person may sleep with his eyes open and even walk in his sleep. He does not react to attempts by those around him to wake him up and reassure him. When you wake up, you will most likely not remember anything that happened.

Consequences

Night terrors, being a sleep disorder, affect the quality of it. The person does not sleep well, which is noticeable the next day in the form of tiredness, low spirits and fatigue. This causes a lot of frustration, which can lead to depression and other psychological problems by wanting to rest and not being able to.

The person may develop insomnia because he fears that, when he falls asleep, he will have another episode and hurt yourself or a loved one.

This insomnia and daytime sleepiness typical of night terrors not only affect the affected person, but also the environment closest to him. When he suffers the episodes, screaming, moving violently, and even walking causes people to are at home, wake up, make efforts to reassure her, and spend the night awake in fear that the affected person will hurt.

When should you ask for help?

The episodes of night terror, if they appear sporadically and associated with temporary problems, do not have to constitute an alarm signal. On the other hand, if they begin to be frequent, as they affect the energies of the affected person, it is necessary to go to a professional to try to solve this problem.

In addition, the physical integrity of the patient and the environment closest to it is in danger, which is necessary in some cases to enter sleep clinics to monitor the episode in an environment insurance.

Treatment of night terrors in adults

Unfortunately there is no specific treatment to cure episodes of night terrors in adults. Treatment focuses on improving the patient's sleep quality, trying to reduce the frequency of the episodes and their effects on the mood in the affected person. Psychotherapy and the use of drugs are usually the first option with the intention of addressing this problem.

The psychotherapist will try to find out what are the psychological problems that explain the appearance of the episode, such as the stress, depression, having suffered a trauma or any mental and emotional problem that may be related to this disorder of the dream. Drugs can be used to reduce symptoms associated with this condition, such as lack of energy and insomnia.

Although they are not as effective as psychotherapy and psychopharmacology, the use of techniques such as hypnosis, different types of meditation, and yoga may reduce the frequency and severity of episodes. Playing sports also helps, both to prevent these episodes and to soften them, although they are not as effective a therapeutic route as psychological therapy and medications.

It is essential that, whether you have experienced these types of episodes or not, you have good sleep hygiene. You have to go to sleep between 10 and 12 at night, sleeping from 7 to 9 hours and not consuming stimulant substances from the afternoon. The consumption of alcohol and other drugs that can affect the quality and regularity of sleep should be avoided.

Bibliographic references:

• Guzman,, C.; Wang, Y (2008). Sleep terror disorder: A case report. Brazilian Journal of Psychiatry 115 (11): 169. doi: 10.1590 / S1516-44462008000200016.
• Szelenberger, W.; Niemcewicz, S., & Dąbrowska, A. (2005). Sleepwalking and night terrors: Psychopathological and psychophysiological correlates. International Review of Psychiatry 32 (12): 263-270. doi: 10.1080 / 09540260500104573