Night Terror / Sleep Terror
Night Terror / Sleep Terror is a sleep disorder occurring during deep sleep, accompanied by intense fear, screaming, and sometimes sleepwalking. Usually not remembered. Folk traditions describe it as an entity pressing on the chest.
Related Terms
Sleep Paralysis
A temporary condition where the body cannot move while consciousness is awake during sleep onset or awakening. May be accompanied by hallucinations and fear. Culturally associated with 'the nightmare' or incubus.
NREM Sleep
Non-REM sleep stages. Consists of three phases: light sleep, medium-depth sleep, and deep sleep. Dreams can occur in these stages but are typically less vivid and shorter.
Nightmare
Bad dreams that evoke intense fear, anxiety, or terror, usually waking the person. They occur during REM sleep and are typically remembered in detail. Can be linked to stress, trauma, and medications.
Reality Check
A lucid dreaming technique: regularly asking 'Am I dreaming?' throughout the day to carry this habit into dreams. Tests like counting fingers or reading text are used.
Sleep Cycle
A cycle of approximately 90 minutes consisting of NREM and REM stages, repeating 4-6 times per night. REM duration increases with each cycle, and dreams become more vivid.
Recurring Dream
The repeated appearance of the same or very similar themes in dreams. Usually points to unresolved emotional issues or unconscious messages. The dream tends to stop when the issue is resolved.