Some General Help & Advice (Night Terrors)

[daveharrison1983]

My second posting on this site, as the help and advice I got was excellent I thought I would try something else.

For the past 4years or there abouts for once a month, I have been having night terrors, I wake up screaming in the middle of the night and scare my wife half to death, normally takes a few minutes before I calm down again.

There always something similar when they happen either someone is trying to invade my mind, kill me or there is an invader in my home or someone I care about dies. Depending on which one I have it may even take me a few minutes to work up the courage to get out of bed as I will be on edge so badly or full of adrenaline that I dare get out.

The other thing worth mentioning is that is this man, about 5ft 11/6ft medium build, round face and short white hair and normally wearing a long black coat. He is always there, I either see him or I just feel his presence when the terror happens. I thought at first that he was a symbol of what I might be afraid of but I later came to feel he was more of a protector, even gave him a name "Malcolm" and as strange as it sounds if I ever feel alone I always feel that I am not because I know he is there.....

However, this is not why I am writing this post. Last week I had two night terrors one after the other which has never happened before. Im concerned that these maybe happening more often.

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated, no matter the format.

Thanks in advance


David

[volcaniclastic]

Re: Some General Help & Advice (Night Terrors)

My advice would be to go see a doctor, and get a referral to a therapist.

Note: I'm not calling you crazy, but night terrors are generally the product of either an imbalance of chemicals in the brain (eg: go see the doc) or some messed-up psychological stuff (go see a shrink).

[B. de Corbin]

Re: Some General Help & Advice (Night Terrors)

Daveharrison1983, what you are describing isn't night terrors. In night terrors, the sleeper wakes up, usually screaming, and can not be calmed down, and does not acknowledge anybody in the room, as if still asleep. This goes on for a few minutes, then the sleeper lays down and calmly goes back to sleep. He/she wakes up with no memory of the event at all. It rarely occures in anybody over the age of 8-10, more likely around 3-6. The treatment is: educate parents so the don't worry, and let the kid grow out of it.

What you are actually describing is more likely sleep paralysis. This is generally stress related - college students often get it during finals, for example. A doctor might prescribe a sleeping pill, or you might try something over-the-counter, but in my limited experience this is more likely to bring one on - and a stronger one - than fend one off.

Best treatment is to understand that they are harmless, and will almost certainly go away in a short time, if you don't obsess about them. I have found that, subjectively, the best way to deal with them is this: when you realize you are having one, allow yourself to fall back asleep. This is hard to do because "falling asleep" in this state feels like slipping into death. It's just falling back asleep, though.

P.s. I'm not a doctor. Don't trust me.

[Ophidia]

Re: Some General Help & Advice (Night Terrors)

As an insomniac, I've got a lot of interest in sleep science.

There's some evidence that night terrors, along w/some of the other hypnagogic effects (sleep paralysis, spatial disorientation, nocturnal imagery/pre-dream states) are based on the position of your head & neck. If there's pressure on certain nerves in your neck or spine, it can stimulate the corresponding parts of your brain, including ones responsible for visual imagery.

Something to do might be keeping a sleep journal - that way you can track your environment, sleep positions, external stimuli, etc. and maybe work out a pattern as to when the night terrors (or non-terrifying hypnagogic imagery) is most likely to occur.

Good sleep hygiene can also prevent a lot of sleeping issues:

1) Establish your bed as a place of sleeping and sex only. Do your living in your living room, your eating in your kitchen/dining room, and do not argue or have discussions in or around your bed and bedroom.

2) Remove all electronic devices (computers, phones, tvs, radios, etc.) from your sleeping space.

3) Eliminate as much external light and noise from your bedroom as possible. Get black-out curtains (your energy bills will decrease a little, too) or insulate your walls with some foam egg-crates if necessary.

4) Try to keep a consistent bed-time and wake-time. Resist the urge to sleep in, even on your weekends.

5) Avoid caffeine and other chemical stimulants at least 6 hours prior to your bedtime. Also, avoid alcohol for the same amount of time - even though it's a depressant, it breaks down into sugar as it metabolizes. Alcohol also has been shown to suppress the normal REM cycle, including normal dreaming.

6) Avoid naps longer than 20 minutes during the day. If you find yourself regularly nodding off during the day even if you've had a full night's sleep, it may be an indication that you have sleep apnea, a REM disorder or narcolepsy - get thee to a sleep clinic!

7) Avoid extremely hot showers, baths or food at least 2 hours prior to your bedtime - your body prepares for sleep better at lower temperatures.

8) Acquire bedding that is comfortable, not too warm, and maintain a slightly lower temperature in your bedroom than other parts of the house. The human body is an amazing heat sink - all day long, it conserves that heat to keep us moving, and at night, during sleep, when the temperature drops, it releases that excess heat and all those sleep-related chemical reactions happen. If your bedroom is too warm, your body stays warm and active.

9) Regular exercise usually improves sleep disorders, but avoid aerobic/cardio/intense exercising too close to your bedtime. Light stretching or relaxation exercises are ok.

10) Try not to bring your life with you to bed. If you go to bed, but cannot fall asleep, don't lay there for more than 15 - 20 minutes 'trying' to fall asleep. Get up, leave your bedroom, and do something relaxing or distracting in another room. Return to your bed only when you are nodding off.