Sleep terrors are usually terrifying experiences. A sleep terror is when a person is dreaming but they are physically having an episode of screaming and flailing in fear. It is considered a parasomnia, which is an undesired occurrence during sleep. Sleep terrors can last anywhere from seconds to a few minutes. In extreme cases they can last a while longer. Nightmares are also very terrifying, but they are not the same as sleep terrors. Sometimes you can remember bits and pieces of what the nightmare was about. However, If you have a sleep terror you won’t remember it happening and will not be aware of what’s going on while it is happening. Basically, the person is dreaming and their body is “reacting to it in a violent manor.”(mayoclinic.org)
