What is a key feature of Sleep Terrors?

A key feature of Sleep Terrors is the experience of intense fear and autonomic arousal upon awakening. During a sleep terror episode, the person typically awakens from non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep in a state of panic or fear that might be accompanied by physical symptoms, such as rapid heartbeat, sweating, and breathing difficulties. These episodes often occur in children and can be very distressing for both the individual and any observers.

While elements such as vocalizations and complex movements during sleep may be present, as seen more prominently in REM sleep disorders or nightmare episodes, they do not specifically define sleep terrors. Highly dysphoric dreams are more related to unpleasant dreams but are not characteristic of sleep terrors since individuals are not typically aware of their surroundings or the content of their dreams upon waking. Repetitive muscle contractions during sleep are generally associated with other sleep disorders, like sleep-related movement disorders, rather than the panic response that characterizes sleep terrors.