Possible Causes of Night Terrors
Although the direct cause of night terrors remains unknown, experts have put forward several theories. One theory suggests that night terrors may be congenital, as they often occur in multiple members of a family. Laboratory studies have also shown that fever and sleep deprivation can increase the likelihood of experiencing a night terror episode. Additionally, conditions such as nocturnal asthma, sleep apnea, and certain medications have been linked to an increased risk of night terrors. Interestingly, more women report experiencing night terrors compared to men. However, it is still uncertain whether this is because women are more prone to night terrors or if men simply have a lower tendency to remember or admit having them.
Night Terrors vs. Other Conditions
When it comes to night terrors and nightmares, the key distinction lies in their severity. Unlike nightmares, night terrors are so intense that external stimuli cannot easily wake up the person experiencing them. This differentiating factor often leads bystanders to mistakenly associate night terrors with certain types of seizures. Specifically, temporal lobe and frontal lobe epilepsy can produce seizures that resemble the thrashing movements observed during night terrors. Nevertheless, it is important to note that these seizures tend to be much shorter in duration compared to a typical episode of night terrors.