By Anne Gagliano
A night terror is a parasomnia disorder, or sleep disorder, in which a person quickly awakens from sleep in a terrified state. During a night terror, the brain tricks a person into seeing things that aren’t really there. This occurs in the early stages of sleep, usually within the first 15 to 60 minutes. Sleep walking and bed -wetting occur in this same stage. It is a mystery why people have night terrors, as during this stage the brain is supposed to be completely void. Nightmares occur in the dream state of sleep, or REM, and usually happen closer to morning. Nightmares do not cause the same reactions as night terrors, for they are easily recognized as being not real. There is evidence that night terrors, sleep walking, and bed wetting are passed on genetically.
This is interesting to me, for my dad was a sleep walker as a child (so was I), and he, too, later in life suffered from night terrors. The two most common causes of night terrors in adults are anxiety and trauma. My father’s terrors were from a nobler source than mine; he was an army intelligence officer, or spy, who monitored communist activity in East Berlin in the 1950s. His life was threatened on numerous occasions, and he was simultaneously traumatized by the deaths of many of his comrades. My mom told me that during the early years of their marriage, she’d awaken to him screaming, grabbing her by the hair, or wandering around the room patting the walls as if looking for an escape. Post traumatic stress disorder sufferers commonly report having night terrors. They generally involve either a shadowy figure threatening them or bugs or snakes in the bed. I’ve had all three kinds, but mine have predominantly been a shadowy, faceless figure. And mine were not from the gallantry of risking my life but from the anxiety of sleeping alone as a firefighter’s wife.
As I detailed in the first two columns on this topic, night terrors are very real. They actually cause a temporary inability to regain full consciousness, thus triggering a full fight-or-flight response, as you cannot discern reality from fantasy. Heart rates have been measured to spike as high as 160-170 beats per minute, which is astounding, as you do not achieve these rates even during extreme exercise. This is because of a rush of adrenaline, something firefighters also experience when awakened at the fire station. I have experienced actual pain as my heart thuds so hard.
It is best not to touch a person who is having a night terror, for this can cause further alarm and confusion (as I have experienced). Instead, gently talk them out of it; this tends to be enough to wake them and make it stop.
Eating a heavy meal before bed prevents deep, REM sleep and can cause a night terror. So does coffee. Reading, a hot bath, warm milk, and foot massage all instigate fast sleep. These things have helped both my husband Mike and I with our sleep issues.
You may wonder if I still have night terrors, even after all I’ve learned. The answer is yes; unfortunately, I occasionally still do. They come and go. They stopped when I lived in Louisiana, but then they resumed for a bit when Mike first became a Seattle firefighter. They settled down quickly this time, however, as I was now home and in familiar territory and my boys were a bit older.
I’ve discovered that they can occur in a new house or even at a hotel—situations that are unfamiliar and that can inhibit sleep. Through my boys’ teen years, I didn’t have a single one; I guess they made me feel safe. When they first left for college, Mike had simultaneously made captain and was in an administrative position for two and a half years. I secretly rejoiced, for I feared that my boys being gone might cause my terrors to return.
And I was right to be afraid, because the terrors eventually did return. Around that same time Mike began teaching air management, which involved traveling. I was once again alone at night and for even longer periods than just 24 hours. My precious boys would take turns coming home from college (just an hour away) to “babysit Mom” during Mike’s longer forays. Yes, this is a family concern, and all three of them have tried to help me. But now my oldest boy is married and my youngest will soon be leaving for law school in Washington D.C., and Mike is back on shift and still traveling.
Over the years, I have become more afraid of the night terrors than of any real threat—they are that terrifying. Mike has had to consider going off shift because of my problem. He is so completely devoted to my welfare that he is willing to sacrifice his beloved station life for a desk job. But I won’t hear of it.
I’m learning to avoid coffee, scary movies when alone, and big meals before bed. It’s silly, but locking my bedroom door helps. So does prayer. Since anxiety is the primary cause, finding ways to relieve it is the solution. Exercise helps, too.
I no longer scream, which is good; I simply gasp or whine. I sometimes still scuttle away from the stranger by my bed, but not always. Mike and I have learned to pretty much ignore the terrors; I don’t react as strongly as I once did, and neither does he. I usually don’t even wake him anymore, thankfully. But there is still that brief moment between wakefulness and semi-consciousness when I have to ask myself, “What if this time there really is someone there?” This fleeting thought is enough to make me react, if only just a little.
I hope my story helps a fellow sufferer a bit, even though I offer no absolute cure. Sometimes it’s just nice to know that you’re not alone.
References:
1. http://sleep.lovetoknow.com/Night-Terrors-in-Adults
2. http://wikipedia.org/wiki/Night-Terror
3. http://www.world-of-lucid-dreaming.com/night-terrors.html
Image found on Wikimedia Commons, with permission, “The Starry Night,” by Vincent Van Gogh
Anne Gagliano has been married to Captain Mike Gagliano of the Seattle (WA) Fire Department for 25 years. She and her husband lecture together on building and maintaining a strong marriage.
