Comparison Of Nightmares And Night Terrors

After a long day of school or work, when people come home all they want is to have a peaceful sleep; however, that is not how it always goes. While peaceful dreams are common in sleep many people experience nightmares and night terrors. Nightmares are known as frightening dreams while night terrors are known as frightful experiences during sleep. Although many are aware of the existence and have experienced nightmares and night terrors; the vast majority do not understand the extreme diversity and the psychological effect of the two. While an individual is sleeping there are multiple stages of sleep and brain activity that take place each night. Before the individual falls asleep they are awake; therefore, in a low-voltage, high-frequency …show more content…
The majority of time nightmares happen in the early morning after six to seven hours of sleep, and only last minutes. Generally, no particular age group or gender are specifically subject to nightmares; however, nightmares are most common in pregnant women and children ages three through six. In contrast to nightmares, night terrors take place during the direct opposite of REM sleep which is Non-REM (which occurs in Stages Three and Four). Night terrors; however, take place during the first half of a night sleep and can last up to an hour; night terrors may also happen many nights in a row. Particularly night terrors are more common in males from one year to seven years of age. More specifically to males who suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Night terrors are not typically a normal part of life and should resolve itself with in adolescence years five through seven. If it does not revolve itself the individual needs to see a physician right …show more content…
They may have experienced sleep walking or talking and may be able to remember a point of their walk or talk. It has been told that you should not wake an individual who is sleep walking; however, it is okay to wake someone who is having a nightmare. The individual will not be disorientated when they wake up they will only be afraid and will mostly likely fall back to sleep. Unlike nightmares it is extremely frightening to witness, the individual may be screaming, thrashing, crying or in some cases even carry out conversations. In contrast to awaking individual in a nightmare it is very dangerous to wake an someone who is in the midst of a night terror. If you wake someone who is having a night terror the effects are that the individual could potentially harm the person who awakes them or it would cause seizing. The individual will not remember anything about the night terror because their brain is in Non-REM sleep; therefore, the brain has the lowest amount of activity causing no memory of what