So I had my first night terror last night.

[llsoszynski@gmail.com]

It was the worst experience of my life. I thought there was someone next to my bed... well.. to me there WAS someone next to my bed, almost hovering over me. So needless to say I started screaming bloody murder and kicking and punching at him while reaching for the light. When I turned the light on no one was there, and my parents came running into my room scared that I was getting killed or something. I was so scared I just started crying uncontrollably.

Today my throat is somewhat sore, and my leg hurts from kicking it.

I didn't really fall asleep until 3 hours later, after staring around the room wondering what the heck just happened for a good hour. I turned on Pandora radio on my phone and that calmed me down a little bit. I left the light on.

GAH. I did my research and it said it can be caused by stress (physical or mental), over tiredness, certain meds (im not on any), and anxiety. I suppose I have been stressing my body alot lately, along with the mental stressors going on right now.

I just never hope it happens again. Does anyone else experience these? What do you do about them? Are the reoccurring?

[spatzcat]

oh wow, that sounds like it was horrible. although on the bright side, you're leg got a good workout. sorry, just a bit of humour to lighten up the situation.

I have never experienced anything like that...the only time i have crazy dreams is when my hormone levels change because of my period, and then they go away...

I hope you find your answers, and it doesn't happen again.

[Gainsdalf the Whey]

My wife has night terrors, it's terrible. She'll wake up and either see someone standing over the bed or giant spiders all over the walls. She wakes up and screams bloody murder. She's had them for awhile now, so she gets over the fright in a few minutes and crashes back out. It usually happens within an hour or two of her falling asleep. Scares the shit out of me.

I've had them once or twice as well. Not pleasant.

[ETFnerd]

if you have insurance coverage, see a doctor just to be safe... just to make sure it isn't anything serious...

[bigm141414]

I've had these before. Stress + wrong type of alcohol (damn you gin) seems to bring it on the worst. It also doesn't help watching Paranormal Activity right before bed.

Haven't had them in a long while mainly due to attempts to keep my stress low and a calm meditation before I fall asleep.

[161803398874989]

Sleep terrors aren't my area of expertise so I've got little to add. However, after looking around for a bit I found the suggestion that up to 3% of the population experiences night terrors, so you're not alone (Source, although it's this article from Nature).

An idea from myself: you could try to recognize when it happens and remember it's all in your mind. It works very well for nightmares, but differences in physiology between night terrors and REM sleep may be too great. You could always give it a shot.

[llsoszynski@gmail.com]

Wow thank you everyone for all your support.

Corey- yeah, haha I'd feel terrifible for my husband if I ever did that while eeping next to him!!

Next time hopefully I will realize its only a terror and be able to sleep after.

I do have insurance but after my share of research I found that its normal for us 2%... So unless they become reoccurring, I dont think ill see anyone. Last thing i need is drugs for this issue!!

[aj_rock]

I used to get terrors a couple years back when I consumed waaaaay too much caffeine + was avidly playing deadspace. NOT FUN.

[llsoszynski@gmail.com]

I used to get terrors a couple years back when I consumed waaaaay too much caffeine + was avidly playing deadspace. NOT FUN.

See thats the weird thing! I don't do caffeine anymore.. I don't eat bad anymore, no sugar... I don't stay up late anymore I wake up at 7 without an alarm clock (8 hrs of sleep a night) and just NOW after everything I've been through this past year and everything I've changed over the last few months.. just NOW I am getting terrors. Why??

It just doesnt make much sense to me.

[aj_rock]

You say you've been through a lot the past year and changed quite a few things. IANAP, but I'd be willling to bet that it's connected, regardless of the past-tense-ness.

Sounds like something to consult a professional on if it continues, especially if you can't point anything out in your diet that could be a potential cause...

Generally, stimulants can excite your CNS, resulting in paranoia, anxiety, and those sorts of things. Note that any amphetine-based pharmaceuticals can effect your CNS, so look at any medications you may be taking.

Other than that... its gotta be psychological.

[oystergirl]

Laini, if this is a one time occurrence I would not consider it night terrors which are really a long term and successive thing. I have two friends who have children who had them and they usually are preceded by extended periods of time when the child sleep walks and does other things while presumably asleep. Most children with night terrors do not even remember the outbursts, at least that is the case with my friends' children.

What it sounds like to me was a very bad dream or a lucid dream where your body is active during the dream. If you are generally sensitive to electromagnetic radiation right now we have had the biggest solar flare activity in many years you can google current CME activity to read up on it. This radiation is generally not noticed but for some folks it can affect their mood, their body and their subconscious. I would check it out and see what its about, and I would also not allow one dream experience to make you feel like you "have" something when it was probably just that...a one time thing.

BIG HUGS!

[chairohkey]

My wife has them. Scares the hell out of me too. After the first couple of times I stopped grabbing my gun and now check on her first.

[llsoszynski@gmail.com]

oystergirl- I did my research, and everything that classifies as a night terror is what happened last night. It was within the first half hour of falling asleep, and I saw a person over me. I do know that the symptoms in children and adults are extremely different, so says some article i read earlier. I dont know. I just hope it doesnt happen again.

[jdanger]

I get the sleep paralysis thing every now and then upon waking. Normally as a prelude to a major migraine. Oh brains, how do you work.

But yeah if you experience the paralysis it's pretty intense. The hallucination of the dark figure hanging over you sucks and is made a lot worse when you can't move and can't control your breathing. Something about the conscious brain waking up but still able to dream without sending the "ok to move signal" to the body. Researching it as an adult definitely explains some wacky shiat I've seen at night as a kid. I did read that this is more common when sleeping on your back and it may be confirmation bias but every time I remember it happening I was on my back.

[Cookie]

I have had this happen just once, and the feeling really is indescribable. I woke up to someone crouching next to my bed and my blood ran cold. I didn't lash out physically, I think I was actually paralysed with terror.

If its any consolation, that was seven years ago and I have never had another. Hopefully it will be the same for you

[llsoszynski@gmail.com]

Wow, yeah I read about the sleep paralysis thing, I can't even begin to imagine how terrible that would be, since the night terror was scary enough. How do you manage that when it happens, just stare at the hallucination knowing that its just a terror... or do you flip out when you finally get the chance to move.

Its funny, I'm the same way, I want to know HOW our brains work and WHY it happened to me. That was my first thought after it happened, was WHY it happened.

I will say, though, that I was on my left side when this happened. But I had a terror and you have paralysis. Crazy stuff.

[llsoszynski@gmail.com]

Ahh cookie I just got a pit in my stomach imagining that. GOD I hope that never happens to me. I'm scared just thinking of it. I really hope I have it like you and it never happens again!!!

[jdanger]

Wow, yeah I read about the sleep paralysis thing, I can't even begin to imagine how terrible that would be, since the night terror was scary enough. How do you manage that when it happens, just stare at the hallucination knowing that its just a terror... or do you flip out when you finally get the chance to move.

Its funny, I'm the same way, I want to know HOW our brains work and WHY it happened to me. That was my first thought after it happened, was WHY it happened.

I will say, though, that I was on my left side when this happened. But I had a terror and you have paralysis. Crazy stuff.

Yeah it's scary as all hell. As a child I would freak and it's still freaky but I can normally pick it up pretty fast and just rationalize through whatever my eyes are showing me. It took a while since it's so lucid and seemingly real but the worst part is the breathing. You can't consciously increase your breathing so you start freaking out but can't breath harder so you start to feel like you're suffocating which is the scariest part. The whole "can't move but feel like something is walking on your bed and sitting on your chest" yep, know what that's like. Not so bad now though, it doesn't happen very often and normally when it does I can key into it and sorta just be amazed at how powerful our minds really are.

['Roos]

I used to get these as a kid and generally took the "Blanket over head" approach - I was a strange child.

I'll have dreams which give me the same feeling every once in a very long while now (like, once a year maybe), and I'll wake up and I'm sure there's someone staring at me from the bathroom door or something... All I can say is once you know what's going on it is a lot easier to get back to sleep and not freak out further than necessary.

[Oogiem]

After the first couple of times I stopped grabbing my gun and now check on her first.

Now that is the best response I have seen!

[llsoszynski@gmail.com]

haha, sometimes I wish I didnt live in such an old house... and have watched so many scary movies. I'm sure that doesnt help.

[Oogiem]

Does anyone else experience these? What do you do about them? Are the reoccurring?

Been debating on responding but WTH guess I will...

I've had night terror/nightmares my entire life. I can usually count on several a month. It's a good month when I only have one wake up in the middle of the night dripping with sweat ready to scream or die episode.

I tend to get paralyzed, I squeak (in my mind I am screaming) according to my husband and he's learned that the best way to deal wit it is poke me until I wake up and then let me shake until I recover.

I have given up on figuring out what triggers them, I have no F***ing clue why I get them nor how to stop them.

Instead I have focused on coping mechanisms. I keep pen and paper by my bed and after a really horrible one I write the d**n details out, scribbled in the dark, sweat pouring off my body (menopause is a bitch) doesn't matter if I can read it or not in the morning, the catharsis comes from the writing. Some have wound up as NaNo Novels or short stories. Somehow deciding it's a muse telling me to write makes it a lot easier to deal with. I also have talked to hubby, he now knows if I am squeaking or twitching or thrashing to bloody well wake me up NOW. I can deal with the several hours of insomnia better than I can the nightmares. I also avoid watching TV or movies I know will cause them, certain horror movies and some really scary stuff is verboten until bright daylight. I also won't read horror novels or stories at night. To deal with the stranger ready to kill me ones I know that the house is locked at night, we have guard dogs who would bark if any stranger came up the driveway (and because of the sheep and predators I wake up when the dogs bark) and I am armed and dangerous and will prevail.

You have my sympathies. I know how terrifying it can be. All I can say is that you are unlikely to die during one and also unlikely to kill anyone and that makes it survivable.

[llsoszynski@gmail.com]

You have my sympathies. I know how terrifying it can be. All I can say is that you are unlikely to die during one and also unlikely to kill anyone and that makes it survivable.

Thank you so much for sharing. I can't even imagine having more than one.. let alone several times a month. you are a strong person for dealing with it the way you are. It helps me knowing that I won't die or kill anyone

[161803398874989]

oystergirl- I did my research, and everything that classifies as a night terror is what happened last night. It was within the first half hour of falling asleep, and I saw a person over me. I do know that the symptoms in children and adults are extremely different, so says some article i read earlier. I dont know. I just hope it doesnt happen again.

Huh. In my research I found that there's little difference between the symptoms of night terrors in children and adults. What article was it?

What it sounds like to me was a very bad dream or a lucid dream where your body is active during the dream. If you are generally sensitive to electromagnetic radiation right now we have had the biggest solar flare activity in many years you can google current CME activity to read up on it. This radiation is generally not noticed but for some folks it can affect their mood, their body and their subconscious. I would check it out and see what its about, and I would also not allow one dream experience to make you feel like you "have" something when it was probably just that...a one time thing.

There are only a few experiments covering this, most of which used some form of helmet to apply electromagnetic radiation. No effect from solar flares has ever been shown to be statistically significant.

I do, however, agree with you to not allow one experience to make you feel like you have something. It's your life, you control it.

[tazer]

i have always had these too, since i was little. lately they've happened every night for about a week or so. my girl knows now to wake me up when i am freaking out in my sleep. if you sleep next to someone, having a plan in place eases the anxiety!

i do some chanting before bed to remind my mind that all things, either dreaming or waking, are nothing more than apparitions of mind. this helps my nightmares tremendously.

there are even some spiritual philosophies that believe that when you wake up and see a dark figure by your bed, it is your spirit brother protecting you while you sleep. he is sorry that he has to look so scary, but if h e didnt, he might not be able to intimidate any evil things trying to harm you. if you make peace with this spirit brother and apologize every night before you go to sleep in advance for mistaking him for something evil, it will help you be less afraid if you see him again.

those are things i do to cope with it. i hope any of it helps you!